Mark David Smith (born 9 March 1961)^[1] is a British former technical director of theSauberFormula One team.

Smith grew up inPelsall, a village about 15 miles north ofBirmingham. He left school to undertake a technical apprenticeship withGKN Automotive who sponsored him to undertake a mechanical engineering degree course at theWolverhampton Polytechnic, from which he graduated with a first-class honours degree in 1984.

Having participated inmotocross as a youngster, Smith subsequently developed an interest inFormula One. His first job in the motorsport industry was in 1988 at Comtec, the composites wing ofMarch Engineering. From there he joinedReynard Racing Cars in 1989 and started working withGary Anderson, initially on the 1990F3000 car.

In 1990, Smith moved to the newly formedJordan Grand Prix, where he helped to design theJordan 191 under Anderson, taking responsibility for the gearbox design and engine installation.^[2] He stayed at Jordan for 11 years, progressing to the positions of head of mechanical design, and then joint chief designer withMike Gascoyne. In 2000, Smith followed Gascoyne toRenault, taking the position of chief designer.

After a brief return to Jordan as it transitioned to new ownership, Smith moved toRed Bull Racing in 2005, firstly as deputy technical director and then technical director before moving toForce India as Design Director in 2007. Two years later he was promoted to technical director before moving toCaterham in 2011. He left in 2014 as the struggling team restructured its management in what would be its final season.

Smith was appointed technical director of Sauber F1 Team on 13 July 2015 but left the team a few days before the first race of the 2016 season, with Sauber announcing that he was returning to the UK for "family reasons".^[3]

• Chief designer –Jordan Grand Prix (1998–2001).
• Chief designer –Benetton (2001).
• Chief designer –Renault Formula One team (2002–2004).
• Technical director – Jordan Grand Prix (2004–2005).
• Deputy technical director –Red Bull Racing (2005).
• Technical director – Red Bull Racing (2005–2008).
• Design director –Force India Formula One team (2008–2010).
• Technical director – Force India Formula One team (2010–2011).
• Technical director –Team Lotus/Caterham Formula One team (2011–2014).
• Technical director –Sauber Formula One team (2015–2016).

• Profile at Sauber F1 Team website

• British motorsport designers
• Formula One designers
• Living people
• People from Pelsall
• Sportspeople from the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
• 1961 births
• Sauber Motorsport

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