Ferrari’s difficulties with its 2026 Formula 1 power unit have brought an uncomfortable chapter of the team’s technical history back into focus. Lorenzo Sassi, who spent 19 years at Maranello and previously led Ferrari’s engine development, now holds a senior engineering position at Mercedes, whose power unit has helped establish the German team as the dominant force under the new regulations.
The comparison is particularly painful for the Scuderia because Mercedes has won eight of the opening ten Grands Prix of 2026, with Ferrari taking the remaining two victories. While Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both highlighted the Italian team’s engine deficit, one of the engineers contributing to Mercedes’ advantage is someone who once helped develop Ferrari’s own power units.
Italian journalist Leo Turrini has revisited the circumstances surrounding Sassi’s departure, highlighting how a decision taken during Sergio Marchionne’s leadership ultimately saw an experienced Ferrari engineer move to one of the team’s biggest Formula 1 rivals.
How Lorenzo Sassi went from Ferrari engine chief to Mercedes engineering director
Lorenzo Sassi’s association with Ferrari lasted almost two decades. During that period, the Italian engineer became an important figure within the manufacturer’s power unit operation, eventually taking responsibility for engine development before his departure in 2017.
Writing for Quotidiano, Leo Turrini recalled that Sassi’s relationship with Ferrari management deteriorated following what he described as an unexplained misunderstanding. The circumstances resulted in the engineer leaving the organisation at a time when Sergio Marchionne was leading the company.
Mercedes subsequently recruited Sassi, bringing his experience of Ferrari’s engine development programme into its own technical operation. The move has taken on greater significance in 2026 because of the competitive advantage Mercedes has established under Formula 1’s latest power unit regulations.
Sassi now serves as engineering director at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, an important position within the division responsible for developing the manufacturer’s Formula 1 engines.
His involvement makes the current situation particularly striking. Ferrari is attempting to overcome a substantial power unit performance gap while a former senior member of its own engine department is contributing to the technical strength of the championship’s leading team.
Mercedes’ 2026 power unit advantage exposes Ferrari’s weakness
The introduction of Formula 1’s new technical regulations has reshaped the competitive order, with Mercedes emerging as the strongest team during the opening phase of the 2026 championship.
Eight victories from the first ten Grands Prix underline the scale of its early success. The Mercedes W17 has also demonstrated a significant straight-line speed advantage over much of the opposition, highlighting the effectiveness of the manufacturer’s powertrain department.
Ferrari, by contrast, has developed a competitive aerodynamic package but has struggled to match the power unit performance of Mercedes and Red Bull. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have repeatedly drawn attention to this weakness during the season.
The technical challenge extends beyond simply producing more internal combustion engine power. Under the 2026 regulations, the way the combustion engine and electrical systems work together has become an important factor in overall performance. The Ferrari versus Mercedes power unit comparison provides further context on the importance of energy deployment and the areas where the SF-26 continues to lose performance.
Although the Italian team has managed two Grand Prix victories, its engine shortcomings have made the task of challenging Mercedes consistently more difficult. Ferrari has also been forced to seek improvements elsewhere in the package, with the SF-26’s aerodynamic configuration influenced by its power unit deficit.
For Maranello, the frustration lies not only in the current performance gap but also in the knowledge that an engineer who once played an important role in Ferrari’s power unit development is now helping its leading rival.
Giacomo Tortora and Riccardo Musconi strengthen Mercedes’ Italian engineering connection
Lorenzo Sassi is not the only Italian engineer identified by Leo Turrini as part of Mercedes’ technical success. The journalist also highlighted Giacomo Tortora and Riccardo Musconi, whose responsibilities demonstrate the breadth of Italian engineering expertise within the German team’s operation.
Giacomo Tortora currently occupies the position of car design director at Mercedes. Before joining the German manufacturer, he worked at Ferrari as Head of Performance Development, giving him direct experience of the technical organisation at Maranello.
Riccardo Musconi is another prominent Italian figure within Mercedes, serving as head of virtual world simulation. His responsibilities place him within an important area of the team’s technical development structure.
Together, these engineers illustrate how Mercedes has assembled a group of experienced Italian specialists across different departments. Their contributions extend from power unit engineering to car design and simulation, strengthening several areas of the manufacturer’s Formula 1 programme.
The situation is particularly sensitive for Ferrari given the emergence of Kimi Antonelli as a leading championship contender. The young Italian driver is competing for Mercedes rather than the Scuderia, with the W17 benefiting from the work of several Italian engineers.
For Ferrari supporters, the combination presents an uncomfortable contrast: an Italian driver pursuing championship success in a car developed with the involvement of significant Italian technical talent, while the country’s most historic Formula 1 team attempts to recover lost ground.
Ferrari’s talent departures raise questions about its future championship ambitions
The wider issue highlighted by Leo Turrini concerns Ferrari’s ability to retain and develop the engineering expertise required to compete at the highest level of Formula 1.
Technical personnel regularly move between teams, and success depends on far more than any single individual. Nevertheless, losing experienced engineers to direct competitors can become particularly difficult to accept when those rivals subsequently establish a clear performance advantage.
The departure of Lorenzo Sassi in 2017 is now being viewed through the results of the 2026 championship. Mercedes has built an exceptionally competitive power unit operation, while Ferrari continues searching for ways to reduce its deficit and make better use of the strengths of the SF-26.
The scale of the challenge is reflected in the Ferrari versus F1 rivals statistics, which allow supporters to compare the team’s results and performance against its competitors throughout the championship.
For the Maranello organisation, the objective remains ending a Drivers’ World Championship drought that dates back to 2007. Achieving that ambition will require a competitive car, a strong power unit and the technical expertise necessary to deliver improvements across every major development area.
Mercedes’ current success demonstrates the value of building an effective engineering structure. The involvement of Lorenzo Sassi, Giacomo Tortora and Riccardo Musconi also reinforces the importance of identifying, retaining and making the best possible use of talented personnel.
Ferrari continues to invest in the technical development of its Formula 1 cars, but the contrast with Mercedes raises a broader question about the decisions that shape long-term competitiveness.
With former Ferrari engineers contributing to the championship-leading operation, the Scuderia faces not only the challenge of closing its current performance deficit, but also the task of ensuring that the engineering expertise needed for future success remains at Maranello.
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