{"id":2546,"date":"2026-09-21T09:40:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T12:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=2546"},"modified":"2026-09-21T10:53:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T13:53:42","slug":"ferrari-reorganises-f1-engine-department-as-senior-red-bull-recruit-waits-to-arrive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/ferrari-reorganises-f1-engine-department-as-senior-red-bull-recruit-waits-to-arrive\/","title":{"rendered":"Ferrari reorganises F1 engine department as senior Red Bull recruit waits to arrive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ferrari is restructuring its Formula 1 power-unit department as development increasingly shifts towards 2027<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Francesco Morettini will move from Ferrari\u2019s GT programme to reorganise the engine technical office<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A senior Red Bull Powertrains specialist is reportedly waiting to join Maranello after a year of gardening leave<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari has begun reorganising its Formula 1 engine department as Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Vasseur attempts to introduce new resources and ideas into the technical operation at Maranello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <em>Motorsport.com Italy<\/em>, the restructuring is being carried out within the group led by power-unit technical director Enrico Gualtieri. Ferrari has not abandoned development of the SF-26, but an increasing proportion of its technical resources is already being directed towards the 2027 car and engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The changes include internal promotions, the reassignment of existing personnel and recruitment from outside Ferrari. The most significant arrival is expected to come from Red Bull Powertrains, although the engineer\u2019s identity has not yet been established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The unnamed specialist is reportedly serving a one-year period of gardening leave before starting work at Maranello. The length of that enforced absence indicates that Ferrari has recruited someone occupying a senior position within Red Bull\u2019s engine programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report suggests the engineer may be among the specialists recruited by Red Bull Powertrains from Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth when the Milton Keynes operation was being established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If confirmed, the appointment would give Ferrari access to experience acquired within two organisations that developed their power units through notably different structures and technical philosophies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ferrari turns to GT programme for immediate reinforcement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari is not waiting for the Red Bull Powertrains recruit before beginning its reorganisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Francesco Morettini is moving from the manufacturer\u2019s GT division to the Formula 1 power-unit department, where he will be responsible for reorganising its technical office. Morettini specialises in electromechanical systems and the development of strategic components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He will work alongside Francesco Marino, who oversees quality operations, and Luca Poggio, the director responsible for hybrid systems and product electronics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The transfer continues Ferrari\u2019s willingness to move engineering knowledge between its Formula 1 and endurance programmes. The manufacturer\u2019s GT and Hypercar operations have developed into highly successful structures, making them an increasingly relevant source of technical and organisational experience for the F1 team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Morettini\u2019s arrival will not remove the senior figures already established within the department. Davide Mazzoni, Guido De Paola and Luigi Fraboni are expected to retain important positions as Gualtieri seeks to combine Ferrari\u2019s existing knowledge with different approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The restructuring therefore represents an expansion and redistribution of responsibilities rather than a complete replacement of the current engine leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ferrari targets Mercedes power deficit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari\u2019s immediate technical objective is to reduce the performance deficit between its power unit and the Mercedes M17 E Performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gualtieri previously acknowledged that Ferrari\u2019s Austrian GP engine development was only a limited step and would not transform the competitive order by itself. The team has continued to use the FIA\u2019s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system, but <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/ferrari-admits-engine-is-still-lacking-power-we-were-not-expecting-to-recover-with-aduo\/\">Ferrari has admitted that its engine still lacks outright power<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2027 project is expected to retain Ferrari\u2019s existing \u201chot engine\u201d philosophy rather than abandon the concept completely. However, the combustion system is set to undergo a substantial revision involving the cylinder head and steel components within the six-cylinder engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari is also working with fuel partner Shell because the current fuel package is reportedly not considered the strongest in the paddock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The arrival of an engineer with experience at Red Bull Powertrains and, potentially, Mercedes\u2019 Brixworth operation would therefore be especially valuable. Ferrari would not simply be recruiting another engine specialist, but someone familiar with the working methods behind two rival power-unit projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The appointment has not yet been officially announced, while neither Ferrari nor Red Bull Powertrains has confirmed the engineer\u2019s identity or expected starting date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vasseur\u2019s restructuring extends beyond engine department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari\u2019s recruitment programme is not limited to the power-unit operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further additions are expected within the chassis and aerodynamics departments overseen by technical director Lo\u00efc Serra. The French engineer is responsible for the chassis side of Ferrari\u2019s technical structure, while Gualtieri continues to lead power-unit development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wider changes arrive amid renewed pressure on Vasseur following Ferrari\u2019s inconsistent 2026 campaign. The team has won with Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona but has struggled to sustain a challenge against Mercedes, while operational and technical problems have repeatedly interrupted its progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those shortcomings have contributed to <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/ferraris-2026-slump-puts-vasseur-under-pressure-as-hamilton-isolation-claims-emerge\/\">increased scrutiny of Vasseur\u2019s position and Ferrari\u2019s internal structure<\/a>. Hamilton has publicly called for changes in the way the team operates, although he has denied requesting the dismissal or replacement of individual employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vasseur\u2019s response is now becoming clearer. Instead of one dramatic appointment, Ferrari is reshaping several areas simultaneously: moving proven staff from other racing programmes, promoting personnel internally and recruiting specialists with experience of rival Formula 1 organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The unknown Red Bull Powertrains engineer may eventually become the most prominent name in that process. For now, Morettini\u2019s transfer and the redistribution of responsibilities inside Gualtieri\u2019s department provide the first concrete indications of how Ferrari intends to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further details are expected once the external recruits complete their contractual gardening-leave periods and are cleared to begin work at Maranello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> provides complete coverage of <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">Formula 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is the next Formula 1 race?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next race is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit on Saturday, 26 September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix being held on Saturday?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race was moved forward to avoid Azerbaijan\u2019s national Remembrance Day on Sunday, 27 September. Practice begins on Thursday, with qualifying on Friday and the Grand Prix on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who leads the 2026 Formula 1 championship?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers\u2019 Championship with 292 points. Mercedes teammate George Russell is second on 211, leaving Antonelli 81 points ahead with nine rounds remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who leads Ferrari\u2019s Formula 1 engine department?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enrico Gualtieri is Ferrari\u2019s power-unit technical director and leads the development of the team\u2019s Formula 1 engine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Vasseur is reshaping Ferrari\u2019s power-unit structure under Enrico Gualtieri, with Francesco Morettini moving across from the GT programme and a senior Red Bull Powertrains engineer reportedly set to join after gardening leave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1010393468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Ferrari recruits Red Bull Powertrains specialist in major engine restructuring","42wp_featured_image_credits":"AFP","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[367,45,56,361],"42wp_author":[59],"class_list":["post-2546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-enrico-gualtieri","tag-f1","tag-ferrari","tag-frederic-vasseur","42wp_author-fabricio-carvalho"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2546"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2547,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2546\/revisions\/2547"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1010393468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2546"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=2546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}