Ferrari: Fred Vasseur wants to strengthen engine department with personnel from Alpine
10/04/2024 06:36 AM
The news about the closure of the engine department in Viry Chatillon has been a highly discussed topic in the F1 paddock for some time. Flavio Briatore's arrival aimed to significantly change the cards on the table for Alpine, which will become a customer team of Mercedes starting in 2026. However, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has not been idle and appears to have begun a shopping campaign from Alpine’s engine department to bolster Ferrari's.
Rumors about switching to a new engine supplier have been circulating for several months. Since the Austrian Grand Prix, speculation about a possible new engine supplier for the French team has intensified. From that moment on, rumors continued about potential power unit suppliers starting in 2026.
Ferrari and Mercedes were the frontrunners to replace the Alpine engine starting in 2026, when the new power unit will come into play. This is a monumental regulatory change, with a fair distribution of power between thermal and electric.
A significant challenge for the French team, which probably felt it couldn’t invest in the new regulations. This decision stemmed from poor results during the initial phase of turbo hybrid engines, which have been in effect since 2014. The story of the engine department in Viry-Chatillon came to an end on September 30, 2024, when the official announcement of its closure was made. Despite the significant concerns of the personnel assigned to the F1 department, there could be a new twist in terms of employment.
Indeed, according to some rumors that have emerged in recent hours, Frederic Vasseur seems determined to bring in some Alpine personnel to join the Power Unit team. The names of these new additions have not yet been revealed, but a meeting dating back to the Austrian GP could be quite telling. On that occasion, journalists managed to spot Enrico Gualtieri, Power Unit Technical Director, along with Eric Meignan, also a Power Unit Technical Director at Alpine.
At that time, it seemed like a conversation aimed at transitioning Alpine to Ferrari's engine, but now it takes on a different connotation. Eric Meignan could thus be returning to Maranello, having left the Scuderia in October 2023. Frederic Vasseur's intention to "shop" at Alpine will not be limited to just one figure, but will likely extend to other key personnel who will join Enrico Gualtieri in the power unit department.
Should these additions be confirmed, they could arrive at Maranello without facing a gardening leave. Luca De Meo himself commented on this, stating he will not create problems for his team members given the difficult circumstances they are facing in Alpine.
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