André de Cortanze

André de Cortanze
Born	(1941-03-30) March 30, 1941 France
Occupation(s)	Motorsport engineer, racing driver
Years active	1967–present
Known for	Technical Director at Peugeot Talbot Sport, Sauber F1 engineer, chief designer of Toyota TS020, Technical Director at Toyota F1 and Pescarolo Sport

André de Cortanze (born 30 March 1941) is a French engineer specializing in motorsports.

Career

After earning his engineering degree in 1967, de Cortanze began his career at Alpine, where he combined roles as both a racing driver and vehicle designer. He attained competitive success in Formula Three and Formula Two categories and was responsible for developing a test chassis for Renault's debut in Formula One.

During the 1980s, he held the position of Technical Director at Peugeot Talbot Sport, overseeing programs that secured wins in both rallying events and the prestigious Le Mans endurance competition.

In , de Cortanze joined the newly established Sauber Formula One outfit, where he contributed to the design of the Sauber C13 and worked as an engineer throughout the 1994 Formula One season. Shortly after, engineer Tim Wright collaborated with him briefly. By the close of 1995, he transitioned to Ligier, and following the team's acquisition by Alain Prost, he moved on to work with Toyota Europe.

He was the chief designer of the 1998-1999 Toyota TS020 (GT-One) built for competition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Subsequently, he was appointed as the first Technical Director of the nascent Toyota F1 team, working alongside aerodynamic expert Robert Choulet. Later in his career, de Cortanze took on the role of Technical Director at the Pescarolo Sport racing team.

In 1978, he engineered a groundbreaking 750cc motorcycle that eliminated the traditional frame by using the engine as a structural component. This project, financed by Elf Aquitaine, incorporated an unconventional steering mechanism involving a kingpin controlled through vertical handlebar movements via a track rod. Its front suspension featured a car-inspired single-sided parallel leading arm design to prevent front-end dive during braking. The fuel tank was situated beneath the engine to optimize weight distribution by lowering the center of gravity, and exhaust pipes were routed above the engine block. Despite budget constraints, this innovative motorcycle achieved remarkable results and attracted considerable attention for Elf Aquitaine.