Resta Steps Away from Haas as Ferrari Restructures

Rumors are swirling in the Formula 1 world as Simone Resta, a long-time member of the Ferrari team, has decided to step away from his role at Haas for an uncertain future. The move comes amidst ongoing restructuring efforts by both teams.

A Technical Partnership Gone Awry

In 2021, Resta joined Haas as part of a technical arrangement between the Italian manufacturer and its American-owned customer team. This collaboration aimed to strengthen ties between the two organizations that had been closely working together since Haas entered F1 in 2016.

Prior to his stint at Haas, Resta served as Ferrari’s chief designer from 2014 to 2018 before briefly taking on the role of Alfa Romeo technical director. He returned to Maranello in 2019 and led the department responsible for chassis development before making his move to Haas.

However, despite Resta’s involvement and Ferrari’s establishment of a Maranello technical hub near its Fiorano test track, expectations were not met during F1’s ground effect era. Last season proved challenging for Haas with tire struggles hindering Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg’s race performance resulting in their poor showing in the constructors’ championship where they finished tenth overall.

The Disappointing Change of Design Philosophy

Haas attempted to address its race-pace issues by adopting a new design philosophy, moving away from the in-wash sidepod concept pioneered by Ferrari and towards the Red Bull downwash idea. However, this shift did not yield the desired results for Haas.

The team’s hopes were dashed when a major upgrade introduced at the United States Grand Prix failed to deliver the expected performance boost. This setback prompted speculation about Resta’s future with Haas and possible changes within Ferrari as well.

Rumors and Uncertainty

While there has been no official confirmation from Ferrari regarding Resta’s plans, insiders suggest that he could be brought back into their F1 organization as part of a restructuring effort led by team principal Fred Vasseur.

Interestingly, rumors are also circulating about a potential role for Resta at Sauber, which is preparing for Audi’s entry into F1 in 2026. It should be noted that Resta previously worked under the Alfa Romeo banner with Sauber.

As Formula 1 fans eagerly await news on Simone Resta’s next move, one thing is certain – change is in the air both at Haas and Ferrari. Only time will reveal what lies ahead for these teams and their key personnel.