Under the current regulations in F1, engineers and aerodynamicists have become almost as big as the drivers. F1’s silly season, as a result, has also begun engulfing the technical geniuses of the sport into paddock rumors and transfer news. In this front, the latest rumors come out of the Mercedes and Red Bull camps. With things seeming bumpy within the latter’s camp, Mercedes are now on the prowl and they wish to poach the team’s Chief Engineer, Pierre Wache.
According to Formula Uno Analisi Tecnica, Toto Wolff is keen on “entering the Austrian environment and bringing someone to Mercedes whom Max can trust blindly.” Many would expect Adrian Newey to be the name. But it isn’t him. Instead, it’s his right-hand man, Wache.
Wache is considered to be a very important part of the Red Bull technical division. The 49-year-old has played an integral part alongside Newey to develop and build the last three iterations of the Bulls’ winning machines – the RB18, RB19 and RB20. The report also suggests that Verstappen, whom Wolff is trying to lure to Mercedes, considers Wache “more important than Adrian Newey”.
If Mercedes pulls this move off, Wache will be teaming up with Silver Arrows’ technical director, James Alisson. Allison, an ex-Ferrari man masterminded Mercedes’ domination during the early part of the turbo-hybrid era. Now, with Wache’s expertise on the latest ground-effect cars, Wolff probably sees a path back to their dominant days.
Getting Wache could have benefits other than bolstering Mercedes’ technical division. In addition to helping the Brackley-based outfit get back to the top of F1, Wache’s arrival could finally help Wolff get Verstappen, the driver he most desires to replace the outgoing Lewis Hamilton.
Chances of Pierre Wache departing Red Bull for Mercedes
Red Bull won’t be letting Pierre Wache depart so easily. With the 2026 engine regulation changes just around the corner, Red Bull has already put in a lot of foundational work into the project.
Naturally, they wouldn’t take the risk of Wache defecting with crucial inside line into their plans for 2025 and 2026. Hence, a long-term “gardening leave” could be imposed if Mercedes do succeed in poaching him.
Wache joined Red Bull in 2013, and has over a decade worth of experience working with the Milton-Keynes based team. Wolff would appreciate the connections Wache could be also swaying to jump ship to Brackley that could bolster the team’s rise back up to the top of F1.
While Pierre Wache is certainly a target to look forward to, Mercedes would be eager to lay the groundwork for their engines ahead of the 2026 changes. The last time F1 went through a major power unit overhaul, Mercedes came out on top winning 8 consecutive titles between 2014 and 2021. They would be aiming to repeat the same by getting the upcoming changes spot-on.
