Renault Technical director Nick Chester is departing the Formula One team after a difficult season in charge, the team announced on Friday.
Chester was also placed on “garden leave”, a move designed to stop top staff with intimate knowledge of the organisation being immediately employed by a rival team.
Renault said that the move was part of “a major restructuring plan of their UK technical departments.”
“The team wishes Nick well for the future and thanks him for his significant contribution to the team’s achievements,” Renault said in a statement.
The former technical director had been with Renault for 19 years.
“I am looking forward to a new challenge and wish everybody in the team all the best for the future,” Chester said.
Renault finished fifth in the Constructors Championship this season, one place lower than in 2018 and will have former McLaren and Ferrari engineer Pat Fry joining next year.