Ignacio Rueda is set to depart Ferrari's Formula 1 strategy set-up, according to a report from Italian media. Corriere dello Sport has stated that Rueda will no longer be part of Ferrari's strategy department when the new season gets underway in Bahrain. The report added that Rueda remains on strong terms with Ferrari and will continue to be employed by the team, albeit in other departments that may include its sportscar operations. Rueda has been part of Ferrari's F1 set-up for many years, joining as its Head of Race Strategy in 2015. However, Rueda returned to a factory-based role in Maranello last year after he was replaced by Ravin Jain.
The Madrid-born engineer still played a key role in the Italian squad throughout the year, with Ferrari being the only team to defeat Red Bull during the campaign when it prevailed at the Singapore Grand Prix. Ferrari's strategy decisions have been called into question on numerous occasions over the last handful of years, with criticisms present once again during last year's campaign - particularly at the United States and Abu Dhabi races. Rueda's departure may well signal a shake-up within the team as it looks to return to championship-winning form, with its drought stretching back to the 2008 season. Another major change that will be noticed during the upcoming campaign is the absence of Laurent Mekies. The ex-Ferrari Deputy Team Principal now runs the day-to-day operations of AlphaTauri, Red Bull's sister F1 squad.
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