Moving F1-Staff

[lio007]

M. Sainsbury former Product validation engineer at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains has joined Red Bull Powertrains as PU Data Analytics engineer in Jan.26

[ralphster7]

Andrea Benisi, Fmr Sauber Race Engineer -> Ferrari, Working with Charles Leclerc (pair worked together when Charles was in F2)
Callum MacDonald, Senior Driver Coach, Ferrari -> Williams, Reuniting him with Carlos Sainz

[gshevlin]

Is Brian Bozzi moving to a new role in Ferrari? He was Charles Leclerc's race engineer lead for 2025...

[lio007]

Paul Gandolfi joined RBR as Chief commercial officer in Jan.2026 (former in a similar role at Ferrari).

[AR3-GP]

Does anyone know what happened to Masashi Yamamoto? Previously employed by Honda up until 2021 when HRD was "closed". Then he formed his consultancy (Masa Consulting Communications) to support the Honda engines through RBPT. Has he returned to HRD? His name stops existing in google searches after 2022.

[ralphster7]

Is Brian Bozzi moving to a new role in Ferrari? He was Charles Leclerc's race engineer lead for 2025...

No believe Benisi will assume a driver coach role (similar to Jock Clear previously).

[ScottR267]

Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner leaving the team

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-red- ... -f1-season

[f1isgood]

That's a pretty big loss.

[FNTC]

Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner leaving the team

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-red- ... -f1-season

Hmm, does he have gardening leave? Might he be joining Newey?

[Waz]

Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner leaving the team

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-red- ... -f1-season

Hmm, does he have gardening leave? Might he be joining Newey?

He will very likely have gardening leave. He's the chief designer.

Very interested though in the other staff who have decided to leave RBR quite recently. Was hoping to find the answers here.

[LemonLife33]

I was wondering the same given the pathetic current Honda PU. Honda really believes in giving the new grads all the power to develop.

Does anyone know what happened to Masashi Yamamoto? Previously employed by Honda up until 2021 when HRD was "closed". Then he formed his consultancy (Masa Consulting Communications) to support the Honda engines through RBPT. Has he returned to HRD? His name stops existing in google searches after 2022.

[ME4ME]

I was wondering the same given the pathetic current Honda PU. Honda really believes in giving the new grads all the power to develop.

Oh please, don't dump this on some group of hard working young engineers doing their best. Honda's leadership made a huge U-turn which put them on the back foot. Simple as that.

[ralphster7]

I was wondering the same given the pathetic current Honda PU. Honda really believes in giving the new grads all the power to develop.

Does anyone know what happened to Masashi Yamamoto? Previously employed by Honda up until 2021 when HRD was "closed". Then he formed his consultancy (Masa Consulting Communications) to support the Honda engines through RBPT. Has he returned to HRD? His name stops existing in google searches after 2022.

We don't know enough about Aston Martin woe's to know how much of the problems are coming from Honda. They have a team of experienced engineers in Sakura developing the engine and making the key decisions, wouldn't blame it on new grad's. I think the biggest issue with the AM is the transmission.

[ralphster7]

Starting to feel like a vanity project.

He isn't leaving Aston Martin ... He's just moving to PU integration for the beginning of 2026 to help out with the integration between Aston Martin F1, Honda and Aramco. It wasn't "officially" stated if he would be returning. It was stated that Newey would only take the TP job for the early part of the year. Newey was planning to be at all the early races anyways. It just sounds like he's just carrying the TP title for the media requirements.

It more so tells me that there are problems with the engine, chassis, fuel integration that need sorting. it's Aramco's first time at F1 fuel, so may be some things that need to ironed out.

looks like I called this right. sacking seven senior staff before a rule change is always going to mean something is up and I think the team have known this for a while.

[ralphster7]

Diego Spreafico, Team Leader Analysis and Correlation [Racing Bulls] -> Project Leader, Aero Performance [Audi]
Damiano Molfetta [fmr Head of Control Systems, McLaren and Sauber]-> Returns to Hinwil at [Audi] as Head of Vehicle Electronics and Control Systems.
Gavin Bonney Head of Design Capabilities and Implementation [Aston Martin] -> PLM Product Manager, [Cadillac]
Jeroen Klein Geltink. Deputy Principal Aerodynamicist, [Alpine] -> Lead Engineer, Aero Development, [Cadillac]
Riccardo Porta, Simulator Engineer, [Ferrari] -> [Audi]
Lorenzo Compiani, Power Unit Control Engineer, [Ferrari] -> Power Unit Performance Engineer, [Audi]