Former Ferrari Engineers Settle into Key Technical Roles at Mercedes F1

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team has solidified its technical leadership with two prominent figures formerly from Scuderia Ferrari: James Allison and Simone Resta. Allison serves as the team's Technical Director, a role he has held since returning to Brackley, while Resta, who joined Mercedes in October 2023, operates as Deputy Technical Director. The arrival of Resta, a long-time Ferrari employee who had stints as technical director at partner teams Sauber and Haas, marked a significant addition to the Silver Arrows' engineering roster. His move to Mercedes was announced in early 2023, with expectations he might start later, but an arrangement understood to be linked to performance director Loic Serra's transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari facilitated Resta's earlier integration. Both Allison and Resta possess a history of working together during Allison's previous tenures at Ferrari. This existing professional relationship is proving beneficial in their current configuration. According to Resta, the pair have clearly defined responsibilities to efficiently manage the complex technical operations at Mercedes. Allison, as the overall Technical Director, maintains a broad oversight of all technical activities but is specifically concentrating a significant portion of his efforts on the crucial 2026 regulatory cycle. This long-term vision is key for Mercedes as F1 prepares for a major overhaul of its technical rules. Conversely, Resta's focus is directed towards the more immediate challenges and strategic developments. His primary responsibility is the W16 car project for the 2025 season. Beyond the short term, he is also dedicated to enhancing the team's technical infrastructure, developing key skills within the engineering department, and refining overall work processes to align with the evolving landscape of Formula 1. This division of labour allows Mercedes to address both the pressing need for improved performance in the near future and the fundamental requirements for competitiveness under the significantly different 2026 regulations. Resta has expressed strong mutual respect for Allison, highlighting their complementary skill sets and shared history as advantages in tackling the technical challenges ahead for the team.