Sam Michael set to switch Williams for McLaren

Williams technical director Sam Michael will join McLaren as the teams new sporting director from 2012 onwards.

The move completes a unrelated swap between the two teams with former McLaren technical chief Mike Coughlan joining the Williams team as chief engineer earlier this year.

Michael and chief aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson both announced their intention to leave the Williams team at the end of the 2011 Formula One season after the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this season.

Williams were keen to find a new role for Michael, but he decided to sever all ties with the team, who he has been with for the past eleven years and has now found a new role with McLaren.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Being a racer my whole life, I know that McLaren is one of the all-time greats of Formula One. I already know and respect many of the team’s senior technical management figures, and becoming a member of that excellent working unit was one of the prime attractions of this new position. Michael told formula1.com.

He continued: “Equally, for some time I’ve closely observed and greatly admired both Lewis and Jenson as grade-one drivers, and therefore regard it as an enormous privilege to be able to work with both of them. I’ve spent 11 seasons with Williams, have many fond memories, and truly wish them all the best.

“In the near future, however, I will become 100 per cent focused on McLaren.

Williams of course are getting ready for an exciting new campaign with the announcement that they will switch to Renault engines next season and in doing so will hope to recreate the glory days of the 1990's.