Resta joined Alfa a year ago when it was inducted into F1 as Sauber after establishing itself as a key part of the Ferrari design team.
Leading the technical department at Sauber / Alfa gave Resta more responsibility and experience, but was not expected to be a long-term appointment.
Alfa has now announced that Resta will be leaving the team at the end of July. The current head of aerodynamics, Jan Monchaux, has been promoted to technical director in his place.
There was no mention of Resta’s future and there was no announcement from Ferrari, but it is assumed that he will be returning to the Maranello team.
Due to the garden vacation requirements, he will not switch to Ferrari F1 operations this season, but may be in the road vehicle business before the end of 2019.
The F1 role Resta will take on is unknown. Before that, he was head of vehicle project coordination at Ferrari and performed the duties of chief designer.
Ferrari’s setup is very different from when Resta left the team and his duties were taken over by his deputy Fabio Montecchi, chief aerodynamicist David Sanchez and former Ferrari GT aero man Enrico Cardile.
Former Technical Director Mattia Binotto is now Ferrari Team Principal and his previous position has not been directly replaced which could allow Resta to take on senior technical roles.
Sanchez and Drivetrain Head Corrado Lotti are currently supporting Binotto on the technical side at the plant.
When rumors surfaced that Resta would return to the team after Ferrari’s difficult start to the season, Binotto admitted that “we are evaluating [for] him back at some point “.
Alfa team principal Frederic Vasseur thanked Resta for the role he played in his rapid progress from the back of the F1 grid to a regular points team.
Monchaux’s successor from Resta at Alfa is a natural step for the ex-Ferrari and Toyota F1 aerodynamicist.
Like Resta, he joined the team in 2018 when it traded as the Sauber name and became head of Aero after taking on the same role at Audi for its LMP1 program.
“I would like to thank Simone for his contribution to the development of the team and wish him all the best in his future appointments,” said Vasseur.
“As for Jan, I am delighted that he has taken on the role of technical director.
“He has done an excellent job so far and I am confident that he can lead our technical group if the team continues on its upward trend.”
Monchaux added: “The owners, board of directors and team leader send a simple but powerful message to the whole company – they value continuity and believe in the existing team and the work we have done.
“Now it’s up to us to agree with them, but I am convinced that our future is bright.”
The post Alfa Romeo F1 boss Resta leaves Ferrari and returns to Ferrari first appeared on monter-une-startup.
