The French manufacturer has officially confirmed that the former head of the engine department in Maranello has been active at Viry Chatillon as the head of the power unit for the past month. This marks the first notable departure from Enrico Gualtieri’s team, and it won’t be the last, as around ten experts from Scuderia Ferrari’s Sporting Management are reportedly ready to leave Maranello. It seems that Fred Vasseur, the team principal of the Scuderia, is not concerned, as he is progressing with his plan to strengthen the team, and new arrivals are expected soon.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, but a significant phase of change has begun in Ferrari that is expected to alter the technical structure of the Maranello team. Alpine has officially announced that Eric Meignan is the new Technical Director in the power unit department at Viry Chatillon. After four years in Maranello, where he served as the head of the engine department, Eric has completed the expected gardening leave period, and for about a month now, he has been active in his new role, mainly involved in defining the power unit for 2026.
Ferrari is losing a highly experienced technician, who previously held a significant role in Brixworth, the home of Mercedes High Performance Powertrains. The Frenchman, who started his career at Peugeot (where Alpine’s current team principal, Bruno Famin, was also present), has gained extensive experience in various motor racing environments (Cosworth, Mecachrome). He will be tasked with redesigning a department that has so far not been exceptional, considering that the Renault E-Tech R23 engine is considered the least powerful in the circuit.
Eric Meignan’s departure signals an open-door policy in Maranello: around ten figures from the Sporting Management are leaving, and Audi and Honda, in particular, are reportedly eyeing specialists in the area of 6-cylinder combustion, lured by very attractive financial offers.
Prominent roles are also being discussed, but there are no details about the names of Enrico Gualtieri’s staff who are leaving. Fred Vasseur doesn’t seem to be perturbed by the turnover because the Maranello team’s boss is discreetly reshaping the technical landscape under the guidance of the two key figures (Enrico Cardile, head of chassis, and Enrico Gualtieri, head of engines).
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Important reinforcements are expected in both the chassis and the aerodynamic and engine departments by the end of the year. Meanwhile, in 2024, figures like Loic Serra, the Frenchman in charge of Mercedes development, are expected to become available. In short, major maneuvers are underway in a complex arena where two manufacturers are competing for motor racing resources. Audi had previously attracted a good number of engineers from Mercedes, and now it seems it’s Ferrari’s turn, particularly with the resurgence of the 066/10 engine. These moves are complicated due to the constraints of gardening leave, causing a time lag in the movement of technicians.
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