Crucial Imola-born Mercedes engineer backed to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Riccardo Musconi has been named as a key figure who could go with Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton is reportedly “very likely” to be joined at Ferrari next year by some key engineers from Mercedes.
Riccardo Musconi is named by Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport as one important behind-the-scenes figure who could follow Hamilton.
Musconi is Mercedes’head of trackside performance - but he’s also from Imola, in Italy, an added motivation to perhaps head to Ferrari.
Hamilton and Musconi are “extremely close” and, should the engineer follow the driver to Italy, he could become “a turning point for many to follow him”.
Hamilton’s close confidantes Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington and Andrew Shovlin have already been mentioned, a reminder of the added challenges that Mercedes will now face amid Hamilton’s exit.
Musconi could move into a head of trackside performance at Ferrari which would give him a say in their development into 2026 when the new F1 regulations come into force.
Ferrari see the possible influx of knowledge from Mercedes as “significant added value” to the expensive Hamilton acquisition.
Hamilton will already find one familiar face in the corridors of Maranello.
Loic Serra has already left Mercedes and, after a period of gardening leave, will start at Ferrari in May this year.
Mercedes’ progression into a new era had already started with Serra, Mike Elliott and Aldo Costa among the important figures from their glory days - winning eight constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles in the past decade - to have already left.
Hamilton’s exit is, of course, the most monumental.
But Mercedes may now have to brace themselves for further crucial people, including Musconi, opting to follow Hamilton.
It means that Toto Wolff must not only make the huge decision of who to place alongside George Russell in their 2025 car, as a replacement for Hamilton, but he must also protect the expertise within Brackley from also slipping away.
