Mercedes plays down recruitment of F1 engine team by Red Bull By Reuters

2023-07-08 21:10:13

© Reuters.

SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND (Reuters) – Mercedes has played down the impact of team members leaving Formula One’s engine division to join Red Bull’s new engine company and other rival manufacturers.

Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ titles between 2014 and 2021, when they had what were considered the best engines in the sport.

Since then, Red Bull has been on top and has set up its own power unit operation for a new era of engines from 2026 onwards, with a number of senior staff hired from Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP).

Audi, which is taking over the Sauber team, is building an engine, while Honda (TYO:), Ferrari and Renault (EPA:) are also looking for staff to hire.

“HPP has 1,000 employees and has lost some to Red Bull in the same way that we lost some to Ferrari, and we lost some to Renault and, in fact, the other way around,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff at the Grand Prix. from England.

“You know, we’re not bragging about anyone joining us from Red Bull. I’m not going to mention any names. We have a steady stream of people coming in from Red Bull, as we have from other teams,” he said.

“We wish the people they hired the best. Some of them were retired from our organization and ended up there in a leadership position, but that’s okay. They’ve been given a second chance.”

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin)