Enrico Gualtieri: Audi to make offer
The arrival of Mattia Binotto at Audi could also have repercussions at Ferrari. The former team principal of the Prancing Horse has reportedly already contacted Maranello’s technical director of the power unit, Enrico Gualtieri, making him an offer to join him. This was reported in today’s edition of the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
Having worked for decades at Ferrari, Mattia Binotto knows Maranello like the back of his hand and is aware of Enrico Gualtieri’s qualities. Enrico Gualtieri has been in charge of the entire engine project since 2017 and head of the power unit area since 2019, the same year the Mattia Binotto became team principal of the Scuderia.
Enrico Gualtieri’s work is highly appreciated at Ferrari, which now boasts the best power unit on the grid. For this reason, Mattia Binotto wants him at Audi to work on the new engines for 2026, a critical transition that will define the hierarchy of the new era of Formula 1, once his gardening leave is over.
Enrico Gualtieri, who is not currently handling the 2026 engine project (which is in the hands of Wolf Zimmermann), might not be the only one packing their bags for Audi from Ferrari. With Mattia Binotto’s arrival, Audi also becomes a more appealing destination for Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard will logically prioritize Red Bull and Mercedes, but the presence of his former team principal (who strongly wanted him in place of Sebastian Vettel) is an additional guarantee.
