Red Bull hires Ferrari insider Gino Rosato

Red Bull has hired long-time Ferrari insider Gino Rosato as a consultant, according to reports published on May 22, adding a veteran paddock figure as the Formula One team reshapes its off-track structure. GPFans reported the appointment on Friday, and RacingNews365 said Rosato would join with immediate effect. The move comes during a period of turnover around Red Bull after a run of senior departures over the past two seasons. Red Bull’s official website did not appear to publish a standalone announcement, but the team’s 2026 season guide lists Laurent Mekies as chief executive and team principal. ### Who is Gino Rosato inside Formula One? Gino Rosato spent close to three decades at Ferrari, according to multiple motorsport reports and a recent interview summary about his career. RacingNews365 said Rosato worked at Maranello from the mid-1990s through 2023, while a Pitstop interview description said he spent 30 years at Ferrari and was involved in signing Charles Leclerc. A Formula 1 Wiki entry, a secondary source, says Rosato began part-time work with Ferrari in 1991 and full-time work in 1997. (gpfans.com) Ferrari’s internal titles for Rosato have been described differently across outlets. The user’s source context describes him as a former Ferrari technical director, while other recent reports describe him more broadly as a long-serving insider and senior Ferrari figure. Because Red Bull has not published a detailed role description in the sources reviewed, the clearest verified point is that he arrives with long Ferrari experience and extensive paddock contacts. (racingnews365.com) ### Why did Red Bull make this move now? GPFans said Red Bull made the hire as it looked to restock after losing a host of senior names. The team’s wider reshuffle has included the departures of Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall, according to multiple reports, while other coverage has tied later changes to Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and Gianpiero Lambiase. Not all of those exits were simultaneous, but the cumulative effect has left Red Bull rebuilding parts of its leadership and technical structure heading into the 2026 rules cycle. (gpfans.com) Laurent Mekies is leading the team in 2026, according to Red Bull’s season guide. Red Bull has also been building for the next technical era through its powertrains program and graduate recruitment, with its engineering academy set to begin a new intake in autumn 2026. Rosato’s consultancy fits into that broader pattern of adding experience while the team prepares for the next phase. (gpfans.com) ### What is Rosato expected to do? RacingNews365 reported Rosato will serve as a consultant and is expected to attend eight to 10 grands prix. The same report said he was already present at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. That suggests a part-time advisory role rather than a full-time factory post, though the team has not publicly detailed his remit in the sources reviewed. (redbullracing.com) GPFans framed the appointment as a personnel move rather than a driver or car-development announcement. That distinction matters because Red Bull is dealing with organizational continuity as well as on-track performance in 2026. Motorsport.com recently described the team as facing significant challenges ahead of the new season after a difficult 2025 campaign. (racingnews365.com) ### How does this connect to Max Verstappen and the current paddock? RacingNews365 said Rosato has strong relationships with Max Verstappen and Jos Verstappen, adding another layer to the hire beyond his Ferrari background. That report also said Rosato’s paddock connections run deep, which is one reason his arrival drew attention despite the consultancy title. Those ties have not been independently detailed by Red Bull in the reviewed sources, but they were cited as part of the context around the move. (gpfans.com) The Canadian Grand Prix is Red Bull’s next listed race weekend, running from May 22 to May 24, according to the team’s race calendar. If Rosato is present in Montreal, as RacingNews365 reported, his first public appearances in Red Bull colors would come there before the championship moves on to its next events in June. (redbullracing.com) (racingnews365.com)