Ferrari turns to Mercedes expertise in a bid to fix its biggest weakness and avoid another collapse ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
Ferrari is determined to avoid another disaster like the one experienced in 2025 and has already begun taking what appear to be urgent measures by recruiting talent directly from Mercedes ahead of Formula 1’s new regulatory era.
As noted by the account @simsgazette on X.com, the Scuderia has reportedly made a key addition to its technical structure by hiring Giulia Zoppini from Mercedes’ aerodynamics department. “Giulia Zoppini, aerodynamics, joins Scuderia Ferrari from Mercedes,” the report stated, a move that immediately drew attention given Ferrari’s well-documented struggles in this area last season and the timing ahead of the 2026 regulations.
Ferrari is coming off a deeply disappointing campaign, one that was heavily marked by the high-profile arrival of Lewis Hamilton. Despite the expectations surrounding his debut with the team, the seven-time world champion was unable to mask the shortcomings of the SF-25, frequently voicing his frustration with the car’s performance on a week-to-week basis throughout the season. Strategic missteps, aerodynamic inefficiency, and inconsistent race pace all contributed to a year that fell well short of Ferrari’s ambitions.
Those struggles have left Ferrari under intense pressure heading into the next phase of Formula 1. With sweeping regulation changes set to arrive in 2026, teams are already restructuring their technical departments to gain an early advantage. Ferrari’s decision to bring in personnel from a direct rival like Mercedes underlines the sense of urgency inside Maranello, as the team looks to close the performance gap and rebuild credibility at the top of the grid.
Ferrari looks to Mercedes expertise ahead of 2026 regulations
Aerodynamics will play a crucial role in the upcoming ruleset, making Zoppini’s arrival particularly significant. Mercedes has long been regarded as one of the strongest teams in this area, and Ferrari’s move suggests a clear acknowledgment that internal solutions alone were not enough after the setbacks of 2025.
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With a new technical era on the horizon, Ferrari and its drivers are hoping these changes will help deliver a car capable of competing consistently at the front once again. Anything short of a clear step forward would be difficult to justify for a team backed by one of the largest fanbases in global motorsport, where expectations remain sky-high and patience is wearing thin.