In a significant move aimed at revitalising their Formula 1 fortunes, Ferrari have secured the services of experienced French engineer Guillaume Dezoteux from Racing Bulls, just weeks before the commencement of the 2026 championship campaign.
A Strategic Acquisition for the Scuderia
This recruitment represents a calculated effort by the iconic Italian team to rebuild their technical structure following a disappointing 2025 season, during which both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc failed to secure a single race victory. Dezoteux brings with him an impressive eighteen-year tenure at Red Bull's junior team, where he served as head of vehicle performance, making him a valuable addition to Ferrari's engineering department.
"Today marks the conclusion of my eighteen-year journey with the Red Bull family - what an incredible adventure!" Dezoteux announced via his LinkedIn profile. "I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the team and extend my best wishes for their upcoming season with the new car and the completely fresh power unit."
Restructuring Ferrari's Technical Hierarchy
Dezoteux will assume the position of Ferrari's head of performance operations, directly reporting to head of trackside engineering Matteo Togninalli. Within this newly established technical framework, he will collaborate closely with sporting director Diego Ioverno, all operating under the leadership of technical director Loic Serra, who previously worked at Mercedes and joined Ferrari last year.
This strategic hiring occurs as Ferrari continue to finalise their personnel arrangements for the forthcoming season. Notably, the team have yet to announce who will serve as Lewis Hamilton's new race engineer, with the second pre-season test scheduled to begin next Wednesday in Bahrain.
Potential Candidates for Hamilton's Engineering Team
Industry speculation suggests that McLaren's Cedric Michel-Grosjean, formerly performance engineer for Oscar Piastri, is currently the leading contender to replace Riccardo Adami. Another possibility under consideration is Hamilton's existing performance engineer, Luca Diella, who might be promoted to the race engineer role.
These developments follow Hamilton's recent separation from his long-time manager Marc Hynes, who has accepted a position with the new American team Cadillac. The seven-time world champion endured arguably the most difficult season of his nineteen-year Formula 1 career in 2025, failing to achieve a single grand prix podium finish and ultimately securing sixth place in the drivers' championship standings.
The 2026 Formula 1 season is set to commence with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March, providing Ferrari and Hamilton with an opportunity to demonstrate their renewed competitive potential following this strategic technical reinforcement.
