Tim Densham
Tim Densham | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 31, 1955 United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Formula One engineer |
| Years active | 1980s–2011 |
| Known for | Chief designer with Renault Formula One team |
Tim Densham (born 31 March 1955) is a retired British engineer in Formula One, primarily recognized for his role as chief designer with the Renault team.
Biography
Densham launched his career in motorsport at Team Lotus under the leadership of Colin Chapman. He rapidly progressed to the position of race engineer, working with drivers such as Elio de Angelis (1984), Johnny Dumfries (1985), and Satoru Nakajima (1986) following Lotus's partnership with Honda engines. His responsibilities also included conducting test sessions with notable drivers like Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet. Eventually, he was promoted to assistant chief engineer, managing research and development efforts. Due to financial difficulties faced by Lotus, Densham moved to Brabham in 1990, where he served as both designer and race engineer for Stefano Modena and subsequently Mark Blundell. He was appointed chief designer for the BT61 project; however, the team’s insolvency prevented the car from reaching production.
At the end of 1992, Densham joined Tyrrell Racing as a design engineer before resuming race engineering duties for drivers including Andrea de Cesaris, Blundell, and Ukyo Katayama. By 1998, his focus shifted away from race engineering towards testing. Midway through that year, he departed Tyrrell to contribute to a confidential design facility in Surrey working on Honda’s Formula One initiative. This project, developed by Dallara, was ultimately discontinued following the passing of Harvey Postlethwaite.
Densham subsequently took on the role of chief designer at Benetton Formula, where he led the development of the Benetton-Playlife B200. He remained with the team after its transition to Renault Sport ownership, playing a key part in designs that helped secure back-to-back drivers' and constructors' titles in 2005 and 2006. Renault maintained a strong presence in Formula One through the late 2000s. Densham concluded his Formula One career by retiring in 2011.