Co-author: Roberto Chinchero
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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that by 2025, Red Bull will need more than 15 employees and an empty factory to produce competitive Formula 1 engines.
Red Bull is making an ambitious move with its new powertrain division as it plans to produce its own engine for new F1 regulations that will come into play in the next few years.
The Milton-Keynes-based operation has started work on a state-of-the-art factory on its campus and has launched a major recruiting drive that has signed a number of employees from rival Mercedes’ own F1 engine division.
While losing staff to a competitor isn’t ideal for Mercedes, Wolff understands that the disruption to his own operations was actually quite minor.
And while he accepts that Red Bull is making a huge investment to make sure it is competitive, Wolff believes the scale of the task facing his competitor should not be underestimated.
He is well aware of the kind of expense Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari have had to make over the years to get their infrastructure up to scratch – and also how long it takes to get things right.
In an exclusive interview with the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, Wolff gave an overview of the size of the task Red Bull was faced with.
“We have about 900 people working in Brixworth,” said Wolff. “They approached 100 and got no performance between 10 and 15, mostly production workers. And that is where I would start if I were to build a new factory [like that].
“But there is still a long way to go between hiring a handful of people and a fully functioning engine factory.
“I think Red Bull can do that with the resources deployed, but Mercedes and the others have been in the sport for many decades and are building the structure.
“15 people and an empty construction site will not be enough to be competitive with a new unit in three years.
“Still, we take them very seriously because they are a great team and they have the finances. But if we know one thing in Formula One, it is that it takes time. No money can accelerate the learning curve.”
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Wolff said over the Spanish GP weekend that even though several employees had left Mercedes’ HPP engine division, a large majority remained loyal despite the huge cash offers from Red Bull.
“Internally, it’s pretty good to see the genuinely loyal ones approached, as overwhelming as those who were lured away,” he said. “To see that loyalty and integrity in some ways affirmed the values of this group.
“There were some really good people approached. Lottery number paychecks. And they didn’t even think twice. They stayed because they like the environment and they like what we stand for.
“It’s a good environment and we’ve proven that it’s a good environment to work and thrive. And that’s just something that makes me very proud of the Brixworth organization.”
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