Ferrari Suffers Blow as Key Engine Engineers Reportedly Join Audi F1 Project

Two high-ranking Ferrari engineers are reportedly departing the Scuderia to join the new Audi factory team, a move heavily influenced by former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, who now heads Sauber/Audi.

Why it matters:

• This defection marks a significant setback for Ferrari's engine development, particularly as Formula 1 prepares for new power unit regulations in 2026.
• For Audi, it represents a strategic coup, signaling their serious intent to be competitive from their F1 entry.

The Details:

• Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and Corriere dello Sport identify the engineers as Wolf Zimmermann and Lars Schmidt.
• Wolf Zimmermann: Spent eleven years as Head of Research and Development in Ferrari's engine division. He is credited with playing a pivotal role in the power unit's performance improvements, making his departure a "revolution" and a major loss for Maranello.
• Lars Schmidt: Over nine years at Ferrari, he rose from engineer to development head. His prior experience at Mercedes brings valuable expertise in hybrid technologies.
• The exact timeline for their official transition to Audi remains unconfirmed.

Ferrari's Response:

• Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur reportedly attempted to persuade Zimmermann and Schmidt to stay, but without success.
• Ferrari has since moved to recruit specialists from Alpine and Mercedes to mitigate the anticipated gaps.
• Crucially, Enrico Gualtieri, the head of Ferrari's entire power unit division, will remain with the team. Gualtieri was a target for Binotto in 2023 but consciously chose to stay at Maranello.

What's next:

• Audi's aggressive recruitment of experienced personnel underscores their ambition to be a front-running team when they officially enter F1 in 2026.
• Ferrari now faces the dual challenge of managing these high-profile departures while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the highly anticipated 2026 engine regulations.
• This early recruitment rivalry intensifies the intriguing dynamic between Ferrari and Audi even before their first Grand Prix encounter.