Ciaron Pilbeam
{{short description|British engineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ciaron Pilbeam
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| nationality = {{flagicon|GBR}} British
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| citizenship = British
| education = Automotive Engineering
Mathematics
| alma_mater = Cranfield University
Cambridge University
| occupation = Engineer
| years_active = 1999-present
| employer = Alpine F1 Team
| known_for = Formula One engineer
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| title = Technical Director, Performance
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| parents = Mike Pilbeam (father)
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Ciaron Pilbeam is a British Formula One engineer. He is currently the Technical Director, Performance at the Alpine Formula One team.{{cite web|url=https://sidepodcast.com/f1-employee/ciaron-pilbeam|title=Ciaron Pilbeam|publisher=Side Podcast|access-date=5 September 2021|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905132728/https://sidepodcast.com/f1-employee/ciaron-pilbeam|url-status=live}}
Career
Pilbeam first started at British American Racing working in Vehicle Dynamics. A year later, he worked closely with Jock Clear
as Assistant Race Engineer to 1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve. Pilbeam continued working with BAR as Race Engineer to Takuma Sato before moving to Red Bull Racing in 2006 with Christian Klien. In 2007, Pilbeam took on the role as Mark Webber's Race Engineer, keeping that position for six years. He assisted nine race wins for the Australian and contributed to three constructor world championship titles.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/tension-inside-red-bull-f1-team-before-the-start-of-2013-season|publisher=sportskeeda|title=Tension inside Red-Bull F1 Team before the start of 2013 season|access-date=5 September 2021|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905133112/https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/tension-inside-red-bull-f1-team-before-the-start-of-2013-season|url-status=live}} Pilbeam gained headlines after Webber and Vettel's crash at the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix, with media speculation that Pilbeam ignored a direct team order from Christian Horner to advise Webber to move aside for the German.{{Cite web |title=New evidence to explain Hamilton's displeasure|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/06/new_evidence_for_hamiltons_dis.html|website=bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Red Bull Absolve Webber's Race Engineer of Turkey Mistake|url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/red-bull-absolve-webber-s-race-engineer-of-turkey-mistake-21268.html|website=autoevolution.com}}{{Cite web |title=Webber-Vettel crash at Turkish GP still shrouded in mystery|url=https://www.autoblog.com/news/webber-vettel-crash-at-turkish-gp-still-shrouded-in-mystery|website=autoblog.com}}
Ahead of the 2013 F1 Season Pilbeam joined Lotus F1 Team as Chief Race Engineer to Kimi Raikkonen, with Raikkonen's former engineer Simon Rennie heading to Red Bull Racing.{{Cite web |title=Webber and Raikkonen swap race engineers|url=https://www.grandprix247.com/2013/01/17/webber-race-engineer-set-to-move-to-lotus/|website=grandprix247.com}} Pilbeam was with Raikkonen for just one season, but stewarded his win at the Australian Grand Prix the last win for the 2007 World Champion until 2018.{{Cite web |title=Kimi Raikkonen might be the right man in the right car this season|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/21836809|website=bbc.co.uk}} Pilbeam moved to McLaren the following year in an identical role.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18284218/renault-names-ciaron-pilbeam-chief-race-engineer|publisher=ESPN|title=Renault names Ciaron Pilbeam chief race engineer|date=15 December 2016|access-date=5 September 2021|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905132915/https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18284218/renault-names-ciaron-pilbeam-chief-race-engineer|url-status=live}} After one seasonw with McLaren, Pilbeam returned to Enstone under the renewed Renault F1 Team as Chief Race Engineer alongside Rob White joining as COO.{{Cite web |title=Ciaron Pilbeam, ingeniero jefe de McLaren, se marcha a Renault|url=https://www.motor.es/formula-1/ciaron-pilbeam-ingeniero-jefe-de-mclaren-se-marcha-a-renault-201632560.html|website=motor.es|language=ES}}{{Cite web |title=Pilbeam leaves McLaren for Renault as Enstone expansion continues|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/pilbeam-leaves-mclaren-for-renault-as-enstone-expansion-continues-859570/859570/|website=motorsport.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/07/well-need-to-learn-how-high-the-degradation-is-alpines-ciaron-pilbeam/|title="We'll need to learn how high the degradation is" – Alpine's Ciaron Pilbeam|date=July 2021|publisher=Nick Golding|access-date=5 September 2021|archive-date=4 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904210932/https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/07/well-need-to-learn-how-high-the-degradation-is-alpines-ciaron-pilbeam/|url-status=live}} In 2021, Pilbeam was reuinted with Fernando Alonso at Renault with the pair having worked together at McLaren.{{Cite web |title=Alonso makes Renault F1 factory return to Enstone|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fernando-alonso-renault-factory-return/4879409/|website=motorsport.com}} Early in 2024, Pilbeam was appointed one of three main technical director's for Alpine, after Matt Harman and Dirk De Beer resigned and Bob Bell joined Aston Martin.{{Cite web |title=Three technical directors: Big change at Alpine after key exits|url=https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-new-f1-tech-structure-key-exits/|website=the-race.com}}{{Cite web |title=Alpine brain drain continues as key engineer reunites with Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin|url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-brain-drain-fernando-alonso-reunite|website=planetf1.com}}
Personal life
Pilbeam's father is Mike Pilbeam who designed racing cars for multiple manufacturers including BRM, Lotus and Surtees.{{Cite web |title=Mike and Ciaron Pilbeam, F1 from father to son|url=https://www.autohebdof1.com/actualites/f1/mike-et-ciaron-pilbeam-la-f1-de-pere-en-fils.html|website=autohebdof1.com}} Pilbeam contributes as a tutor to students at the MIA School of Race Engineering.{{Cite web |title=Tutors|url=https://www.schoolofraceengineering.co.uk/our-community--tutors/|website=schoolofraceengineering.co.uk}} Pilbeam cited his first test with BAR at Silverstone as the moment he became hooked on Formula One.{{Cite web |title=My F1 First|url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/my-f1-first-4177885/|website=mclaren.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Alpine F1}}
{{Renault F1}}
{{McLaren}}
{{Lotus F1}}
{{Red Bull Racing}}
{{British American Racing}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilbeam, Ciaron}}
Category:British motorsport people