Ferrari has successfully recruited a technical specialist from a rival team as it sets its sights on 2026. But who is this new addition, and in which area will they help the Maranello squad?
The Scuderia of Maranello is already looking beyond the Abu Dhabi race and welcoming fresh faces into the team. One notable recruit has been “taken” from a competitor, and here we reveal who this engineer is and how they could help Ferrari return to the top.
New faces from rival teams strengthen Ferrari
In recent months, several engineers from rival teams have joined Ferrari. Many engine specialists arrived from Alpine, which will use Mercedes power units under the new regulations. Then there is Frank Sanchez, brought in to lead the development of Ferrari’s 2026 upgrades. Most of these names are considered secondary, except for Loic Serra, who joined in October 2024. Team Principal Fred Vasseur is focusing on building a young squad capable of returning the Scuderia to the forefront. Work on the 678 project is ongoing, but it is still unclear whether Ferrari will become a benchmark again. Meanwhile, let’s look at the newest technical recruit at Maranello.
Tire specialist moves from Mercedes to Ferrari
Shaid Farzand joins Ferrari from Mercedes as a tire performance specialist. He spent seven years at Mercedes working in performance and simulation engineering. This marks the beginning of a quiet revolution at Maranello—a restructuring that isn’t being loudly announced but is already underway. Ferrari is starting anew, with young engineers who arrive full of dreams and fresh ideas.
As reported in October, Simone Sacco, a recent graduate from the University of Calabria, joined the team as a chassis-transmission specialist. It’s his first experience in Formula 1, stepping into a world that moves faster than anything else. Then there is Marco Pagliardini, who arrived from Isotta LMH and now works as a mechanical design engineer in Ferrari’s Wind Tunnel. Young, competent, hungry for success. Yet, these are still considered second-tier talents.
Will it be enough to climb back to the top?
It’s hard to say. Having a top-tier engineer like Adrian Newey would certainly have been useful. Team Principal Fred Vasseur is counting on his squad, but 2026 represents a final chance. Charles Leclerc has made it clear with words that were far from gentle. The Monegasque driver declared “now or never,” sounding like a very real ultimatum. Justifiably so.
Ferrari abandoned all further development on the SF-25 months ago to throw everything at the 2026 challenger. After another winless year, nothing less than a genuine title contender will be acceptable when the new era begins.
Leave a Reply