According to the Italian website AutoRacer.it, Ferrari will lose some of its main figures working on the new 2026 Formula 1 power unit project. This is a critical area, as new regulations will start from next season, and losing experts now could hurt the Scuderia’s progress.

Ferrari is already going through many staff changes, but this time the departures are serious. The 2025 season has been disappointing so far, and the team was hoping for a strong comeback next year. Now, with key engineers leaving, things could get even more complicated.

Who is leaving Ferrari?

The first big name is Wolf Zimmermann, the head of Ferrari’s 2026 power unit program. The German engineer, who has been with Ferrari for 11 years, may join Mattia Binotto at Audi. Zimmermann had been leading the design of Ferrari’s next-generation engine since 2023.

Another important figure on his way out is Lars Schmidt, the chief engineer responsible for the combustion engine side of the power unit. He is also expected to move to Audi. Losing both of them is considered a big blow for Ferrari.

Now, full responsibility for the engine program falls to Enrico Gualtieri, who will have to ensure Ferrari stays competitive. Rumors in the paddock suggest that Mercedes could already have a strong advantage with their 2026 engine. Ferrari’s challenge will be to prevent another long period of dominance like the one Mercedes had in the past.

Team principal Fred Vasseur said during the Italian Grand Prix that Ferrari is fully focused on the 2026 project. But of course, all rivals are working just as hard, and some stopped improving their 2025 cars months ago to focus only on the new rules.

In addition to the high-profile exits of Wolf Zimmermann and Lars Schmidt, Ferrari has also seen two other engineers leave the team in recent weeks. While these figures are not considered key leaders in the organization, their departures still highlight the wave of change currently taking place inside Maranello. These moves were not sudden but rather part of team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s long-term restructuring plan.

Paula Munoz, a Spanish engineer who joined Ferrari two years ago. She worked in the Simulation and Modelling department, focusing on cooling systems and the development of wind tunnel models tools that are essential for testing and predicting how the car will behave before it hits the track. Munoz confirmed through her LinkedIn profile that she will now join Mercedes.

The second engineer leaving is Nicolò Castrignanò, an Italian who also spent about two years at Ferrari. His career inside the team saw quick progress: he started by working on software design for the power unit, then became a Test Automation Engineer, and finally was promoted to Automation Team Leader.

This meant he was responsible for overseeing automated systems and processes that help Ferrari test and refine their technology. Unlike Munoz, Castrignanò is not joining another Formula 1 team. Instead, he is stepping into a new chapter of his career in Formula E, where he will work for Yamaha Lola.

Join our Whatsapp channel