Toro Rosso fires engineer Xevi Pujolar

  • Published on 05 May 2016 21:22
  • comments 2
  • By: Danny Sosef

Slowly but surely the details surrounding the unrest within Scuderia Toro Rosso are emerging. Helmut Marko has been seen by the German press as wanting to create more calm within the team, by swapping Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen. According to these sources, this is due to the Dutch and Spanish camps within Toro Rosso have had some arguments in recent months, meaning the situation within the team had become unsustainable.

It has been common knowledge in the paddock that within Toro Rosso there have always been two camps; Verstappen and Sainz. The team exists primarily of Italian and British employees. During the Singapore Grand Prix in 2015, Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen had a falling-out over a team order and one week later in Japan, their race engineers of had a further argument, again with regards to team orders. This created a great rift between the two camps.

The in-house fighting between Sainz and Verstappen did not improve during the winter and flared-up immediately during the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia. It now appears that this battle has claimed it’s first victim in the form of Xevi Pujolar, Max Verstappens senior race-engineer at Toro Rosso. F1Today.net can exclusively report that he has been fired by the Italian squad.

The Spaniard, who had a great working relationship with the 18 year old Dutchman, of whom he often spoke in admiration, will not be allowed to join Verstappen at Red Bull Racing to continue his role. He will also not fulfill the role of race-engineer for Daniil Kvyat.

Instead the Toro Rosso team leadership has decided to fire Pujolar, hoping to create calm within the team and ensuring a fresh start for Kvyat and Sainz. With the theory of a better cooperation between the two Toro Rosso drivers. Former Manor Team Principal, John Booth was appointed last week as ‘Director of Racing’ and consultant to the team, he now has task of creating renewed harmony in the Italian-based outfit.

 

Replies (2)

Login to reply
  • Im not sure Red Bull made a good move here. Time will tell.

    • + 0
    • May 5 2016 - 23:45
  • Cloxxki

    Posts: 13

    "Exclusively report"...based off the public tweet? Where is the exclusive content?

    • + 0
    • May 6 2016 - 00:36

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 04:33

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 04:33

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 3,199
  • Podiums 117
  • Grand Prix 221
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (27)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar