The personnel carousel in Formula 1 is turning after the British GP in Silverstone. On Monday, Ferrari announced in a press release that Enrico Cardile will be leaving the Scuderia with immediate effect. Cardile was most recently the technical director responsible for the chassis.
So he was basically the technical director at the chassis factory in Maranello, while Enrico Gualtieri was responsible for the engine side as technical director. Cardile’s role will now be filled on an interim basis by team boss Fred Vasseur. It is not yet known who will take over the position in the long term.
Enrico Cardile leaves Ferrari: Is he going to Aston Martin?
Cardile has been linked with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team for months. Rumours say he has already signed a deal with the Silverstone racing team. On Sunday after the race in Silverstone, Vasseur denied reports that Cardile was no longer part of the team.
“If Aston Martin wants to communicate something, then I’m happy for them. But that’s not the case today. He’s part of our organization,” explained Vasseur, also stressing that Cardile is still in his role as technical director for the chassis. “He is still Ferrari’s technical director tonight,” Vasseur underlined unequivocally.
The fact that Cardile officially left the Italian F1 team just one day later suggests that a move to Lawrence Stroll’s team is indeed imminent. However, it is unclear when he could join. In Formula 1, a contractually agreed so-called gardening leave is the usual procedure after the transfer of (especially high-ranking) engineers and personalities.
Enrico Cardile: Almost 20 years at Ferrari
It could be months before he starts working for another team. Aston Martin has not yet made any comment since Cardile announced his departure from Ferrari. Cardile has worked for the Scuderia for decades. The technician, born in 1973, joined Ferrari in 2005 after previously working with Maranello on certain projects.
Until 2016, he worked primarily in the sports car business before Cardile moved to the Formula 1 team as an aerodynamicist. In 2019, he took over the management of the aero department. Since the beginning of 2021, he has been in charge of the entire chassis side of the Formula 1 team in the role he has held until now.