Pilbeam first started atBritish American Racing working in Vehicle Dynamics. A year later, he worked closely withJock Clearas Assistant Race Engineer to 1997 Formula 1 world championJacques Villeneuve. Pilbeam continued working with BAR as Race Engineer toTakuma Sato before moving toRed Bull Racing in 2006 withChristian Klien. In 2007, Pilbeam took on the role asMark Webber's Race Engineer, keeping that position for six years.[1] He assisted nine race wins for the Australian and contributed to three constructor world championship titles.[2] Pilbeam gained headlines after Webber andVettel's crash at the2010 Turkish Grand Prix, with media speculation that Pilbeam ignored a direct team order fromChristian Horner to advise Webber to move aside for the German.[3][4][5]
Ahead of the2013 F1 Season Pilbeam joinedLotus F1 Team as Chief Race Engineer toKimi Räikkönen, with Raikkonen's former engineerSimon Rennie heading to Red Bull Racing.[6] Pilbeam was with Raikkonen for just one season, but stewarded his win at theAustralian Grand Prix the last win for the 2007 World Champion until 2018.[7] Pilbeam moved toMcLaren the following year in an identical role.[8] After one season with McLaren, Pilbeam returned toEnstone under the renewedRenault F1 Team as Chief Race Engineer alongsideRob White joining as COO.[9][10][11] In 2021, Pilbeam was reunited withFernando Alonso at Renault with the pair having worked together at McLaren.[12] Early in 2024, Pilbeam was appointed one of three main technical director's for Alpine, afterMatt Harman andDirk de Beer resigned andBob Bell joinedAston Martin.[13][14]
Pilbeam's father isMike Pilbeam who designed racing cars for multiple manufacturers includingBRM,Lotus andSurtees.[15] Pilbeam contributes as a tutor to students at the MIA School of Race Engineering.[16] Pilbeam cited his first test with BAR at Silverstone as the moment he became hooked on Formula One.[17]
