Former Renault F1 engine boss Taffin joins ORECA as technical director
Remi Taffin, who engineered Fernando Alonso to the Formula 1 world championship with Renault in 2005 and 2006, has joined French constructor ORECA as technical director.


The 46-year-old left Renault's Alpine F1 team where he was powertrain technical director in June and will start his new role at ORECA overseeing its projects at its Signes headquarters near Paul Ricard and its satellite operation at Magny-Cours in December.
He will oversee both ORECA's chassis operations, which include the production of the benchmark 07 LMP2 prototype, and its engine division.
Taffin succeeds David Floury, who had filled the technical director's role at ORECA since 2004.
Floury is now full-time with Toyota Gazoo Racing as chief race and test engineer of its World Endurance Championship programme.
He became part of the Toyota sportscar programme as a result of the Japanese manufacturer's link-up with ORECA from its WEC entry in 2012, a relationship that ended ahead of this season.
Taffin's departure from Alpine brought to an end a 20-year career with Renault that also encompassed a stint as director of race operations.
He will continue his links with Renault and Alpine in his new role: ORECA is the chassis partner for Alpine in the development of a new LMDh World Endurance Championship contender due to start racing in 2024.
ORECA boss Hugues de Chaunac said: "I am extremely happy Remi is joining ORECA to manage the entire technical scope of the group.
"His technical skills, mastery of new technologies, high level of experience and customer philosophy will all serve the company at a time when it is experiencing an important stage in its development as one of the world leaders in the construction of racing cars."

#22 United Autosports Usa Oreca 07 - Gibson: Philip Hanson, Fabio Scherer, Filipe Albuquerque
Photo by: Alessio Morgese
ORECA described Floury as "a key player in our success in endurance racing who helped ORECA to achieve a significant number of sporting, technical and commercial successes".
Taffin added: "I am impatient to start working with Hugues and his teams at ORECA, a benchmark in the world of motorsport, particularly in the various classes in endurance racing.
"The technical and organisational challenges necessary to stay ahead, and the culture and richness of current and future ORECA projects have definitely convinced me I want to play a major role in the next stages of ORECA’s development."
Read Also:
Taffin joined Renault in 1999 and worked as an engineer initially with teams to which it supplied engines, including British American Racing and Arrows, under the Supertec brand.
He was promoted to manage its F1 track activities in 2009 and then took responsibility for on-track engine performance of the teams using its engines, overseeing the four world titles claimed by Red Bull in 2010-13.
A promotion to director of race operations in 2014 was followed by a move to head up the engine department at Viry-Chatillon in 2016.
Related video

Inside the Le Mans finish too barmy for Hollywood
FIA set to revise sportscar driver classification criteria for 2022

Latest news
Why WTR Acura lacked pace to beat MSR in Daytona 24 showdown
Filipe Albuquerque admits that he knew it would be a tall order for Wayne Taylor Racing to overcome sister Acura squad Meyer Shank Racing in last weekend's Daytona 24 Hours.
How MSR took Acura to the first win of sportscar racing's new era
After much anticipation, the new dawn for sportscar racing got underway with a result that mirrored last year's IMSA SportsCar Championship's season-opener run to the previous DPi rules. Here's how Acura once again took top honours in the Daytona 24 Hours with a 1-2 led by Meyer Shank Racing, as the new GTP class for LMDh hybrid prototypes made its bow
Alonso's pushy trait a boost for me in 2023 F1 season, says Stroll
Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll says Fernando Alonso's pushy nature will be a boost to both him and the squad this year.
Porsche aims to “learn quick” from Daytona 24 Hours disappointment
Porsche’s director of factory racing Urs Kuratle says his team will gain valuable answers from its disappointing results in the Daytona 24 Hours.
Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023
OPINION: There is plenty of excitement over the glut of manufacturers tackling the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship this season. The selection committee is set to face headaches over who it decides to admit and who gets turned away from the 2023 entry list, but history tells us that the smaller entrants have a place
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022
Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?
OPINION: Fresh from hosting a controversial 2022 football World Cup, Qatar has added its name to the 2024 World Endurance Championship calendar. Although questions may be asked about its presence on the calendar, is it simply the price to pay for having a healthy racing championship?
How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title
Toyota #8 trio Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa outscored their rivals in the last season before the World Endurance Championship’s top class gets ultra-competitive. Here's how their Hypercar battle with Alpine and the remaining class tussles played out in LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am
The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age
The organisers of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship worked together to devise the popular new LMDh rule set. But to turn it from an idea into reality, some serious compromises were involved - both from the prospective LMDh entrants and those with existing Le Mans Hypercar projects...
How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game
The 956 set the bar at the dawn of Group C 40 years ago, and that mark only rose higher through the 1980s, both in the world championship and in the US. It and its successor, the longer-wheelbase 962, were voted as Autosport's greatest sportscar in 2020 - here's why
Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes
OPINION: While the focus has been on the exciting prospect of Ferrari vs Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year, BMW’s factory return to endurance racing should not be ignored. It won't be at the French classic next year as it focuses efforts on the IMSA SportsCar Championship, but could be a dark horse in 2024 when it returns to La Sarthe with the crack WRT squad
The problem sausage kerbs continue to cause
Track limits are the problem that motorsport doesn't seem to be able to rid itself of. But the use of so-called 'sausage kerbs' as a deterrent has in several instances only served to worsen the problem, and a growing number of voices want to see action taken
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.