Scuderia Ferrari is reorganising its Formula 1 engine department and is set to hire a senior specialist from Red Bull Powertrains. The move is part of a wider recruitment strategy under team principal Frédéric Vasseur to strengthen the team’s technical operations.
The identity of the high-profile engineer has not yet been officially confirmed. However, it is understood the individual holds a senior position within Red Bull’s engine program and is currently serving a one-year period of gardening leave before starting at Maranello.
This lengthy enforced absence suggests the recruitment is of a significant figure within the Milton Keynes-based powertrain division. The arrival is a key part of Ferrari’s push to bolster its power unit development ahead of the 2027 season.
Ferrari’s recruitment drive is an ongoing process aimed at adding new resources and ideas to the technical group led by power-unit director Enrico Gualtieri. The team has reportedly been targeting personnel with experience from benchmark organisations like Mercedes and Red Bull.
The Italian team has been looking to close a power unit deficit this season. Reports suggest Ferrari was behind its main rivals despite using development opportunities during the 2026 campaign. This new hire is seen as a strategic step in planning for 2027.
The move follows a series of personnel changes at Red Bull over the past couple of years. Earlier this season, chief designer Craig Skinner also departed the team after a long tenure.
Skinner, who had been with the organisation since 2006 and was appointed chief designer in 2022, left his role of his own accord before the start of the current season. He was a key figure in the design of Red Bull’s recent championship-winning cars.
Ferrari’s efforts are not limited to the engine department, with further additions also expected within the chassis and aerodynamics departments. The team has hired engineers from other top teams, including Mercedes, as part of this broader initiative.
The restructuring at Maranello also includes internal promotions, such as Francesco Morettini moving from Ferrari’s GT programme to reorganise the engine technical office. This is intended to combine existing knowledge with different approaches from incoming specialists.
