Will Ferrari’s New Engineer Tip the Scales in 2026?
Ferrari appeared optimistic following the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona after finishing the week fastest of all. The Marinello sides’ performance produced the unusual sight of Lewis Hamilton sporting red and a smile simultaneously. Entering his 20th season, it seems unlikely the seven-time World Champion would get carried away by preseason pace alone, so there must be some positive indicators. An SF-26 that may be able to compete at the front of the grid has given Ferrari fans reason for hope in 2026. This week, the tifosi received some more news to raise spirits. Ferrari has nabbed ex-Red Bull man Guillaume Dezoteux.
Dezoteux is taking over as Ferrari’s head of performance operations this season. He leaves behind the Red Bull family after 18 years of service as the Racing Bulls' head of vehicle performance. The French connections are accumulating because Dezoteux will report to Fred Vasseur's appointee, Loic Serra. Serra was brought on in October 2024 as the Chassis Technical Director. Given the timing of his appointment, the SF-26 is probably the first true reflection of the Frenchman’s vision.
Vasseur has mentioned in the past that Ferrari’s facilities, being located away from the motorsports hub that is the United Kingdom, present a hiring difficulty. His team is the only side with no major operations on British soil. With seven teams headquartered in the same general area, Vasseur believes it's much harder to get skilled labor to relocate to Italy than to move down the road. Dezoteux has been convinced to make the move, and Vasseur will hope he can quickly contribute to the team's turnaround. Despite his multi-year contract extension in July 2025, it is unlikely that the Ferrari boss can keep his job through another winless season at the helm.
Ferrari is not done looking for new hires, with Riccardo Aldami stepping away from race engineer duties. The Hamilton and Aldami combo produced many interesting interactions on the team radio over the 2025 season, but not much on-track success. The season opener in Melbourne is a month away, and Bahrain testing is next week, so there is not much time to make a decision. Any delay could leave Ferrari scrambling to build chemistry just as the new season gets underway.
