Ferrari turn to Mercedes to strengthen their technical ranks
Ferrari are continuing to reinforce their technical structure by bringing in second-tier but highly specialised figures, designed to balance out recent departures from the team. Technical director Loic Serra has once again looked to familiar territory, and it is therefore no surprise that the latest two additions to the Scuderia come from Mercedes.
Both engineers arrive from Brackley, where the Frenchman had worked before moving to Maranello in October last year. Rather than targeting headline-grabbing names, Ferrari have focused on strengthening their internal processes by recruiting professionals capable of bringing valuable know-how into key development areas.
The Maranello-based team have invested in enhancing their infrastructure without chasing big-profile signings, instead identifying figures who can contribute expertise in crucial operational departments, particularly where there is still room for growth.
Simulation expertise brought to Maranello
In recent days, the name of Shaid Farzand had already emerged. He is a specialist who became a Senior Performance and Simulation Engineer at the start of 2023, working within Mercedes’ Tyre Modelling Group. This group has grown in importance as teams seek to understand how to exploit the operating window of Pirelli tyres already at the virtual development stage.
During his seven years in the United Kingdom, the Asian engineer earned the respect of Loic Serra, who decided to bring him into his Maranello-based team thanks to his specific expertise and his deep understanding of simulation environments and virtual development tools.
Aerodynamics and wind tunnel know-how
Ferrari’s Racing department has also welcomed Giulia Zoppini, who joined just over a month ago and is now strengthening the unit led by Diego Tondi. Originally from Dueville, near Vicenza, the 30-year-old Italian graduated in aerospace engineering at the University of Padua before completing a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering at the Politecnico di Milano.
Zoppini then went on to complete a PhD at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, an institution connected to the European Research Council. Her academic work focused on the measurement, understanding and control of crossflow instabilities with the aim of reducing aerodynamic drag.
Her research involved advanced space-time measurements of crossflow instabilities in a low-turbulence wind tunnel, effectively the daily bread of modern Formula 1 aerodynamic development. These skills are particularly relevant as teams prepare agile single-seaters that will usher in the major regulatory revolution scheduled for 2026.
Her level of preparation has therefore been extremely high, and it is hardly surprising that she chose a career in Formula 1 rather than aviation, as the results of research work in motorsport become visible over much shorter timeframes. After graduating, she spent two years at Mercedes before being called to Maranello.
Zoppini joins Ferrari’s aerodynamics staff at a time when the 678 project is already at an advanced stage of development. Even so, the engineer from Vicenza is expected to represent a valuable long-term asset in the continued growth of the Scuderia.
A gradual but meaningful cultural shift
Some observers continue to argue that top-tier technical heavyweights are steering clear of Ferrari. However, it is undeniable that the team are strengthening their staff with young engineers of significant ability, who are expected to contribute to the progress of the cars.
Beyond pure performance gains, these new additions could help to reshape working methods and internal processes that may have been held back for too long by the familiar refrain: “this is how we have always done things at Ferrari”.
The strategic recruitment of talent like Farzand and Zoppini, particularly under the guidance of Loic Serra, signals Ferrari’s intent to overhaul its core engineering processes, focusing on critical areas like simulation and aero dynamics crucial for the 2026 rules. This focus on specialized, modern expertise over senior fanfare suggests a genuine push to embed a more analytical and less traditional mindset within the Scuderia. **Do you believe these targeted hirings of younger, specialized engineers will be more effective for Ferrari’s long-term growth than trying to sign high-profile technical directors?
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