Cardile Joins Aston Martin: End to Legal Dispute with Ferrari

Aston Martin has officially confirmed the incorporation of Enrico Cardile as technical director of its Formula 1 team, coming from Ferrari. Cardile, who left his position as technical director at Ferrari in mid-2024, had agreed to join Aston Martin. However, both teams were embroiled in a dispute over the start date of his contract. The signing of Cardile is part of Aston Martin’s strategy, driven by its owner Lawrence Stroll, to compete for the championship from 2026. This strategy includes the incorporation of key figures in the design and engineering of F1. At the beginning of this year, Ferrari obtained a court order preventing Cardile from working with Aston Martin until the end of his “gardening leave” period. The court determined that Cardile could not start working until July 18th.

The Italian team stated that the court considered that “our former employee was already violating the non-compete agreement with Ferrari, whose purpose was precisely to prevent other F1 teams from gaining an unjustified competitive advantage by hiring Cardile before allowed, causing irreparable damage to Ferrari”.

Ferrari

Aston Martin has confirmed that Cardile is already performing his new role. In a statement, the team expressed its satisfaction at having found a solution that allows Cardile to move forward with the team, focusing on 2026 and beyond. Cardile will lead design and technical functions at the AMR Technology Campus as technical director. The arrival of Cardile is a significant step for Aston Martin, which is preparing for the new era of F1, with new regulations seeking to redefine the competitive landscape. Among the most notable signings is Adrian Newey, a legend of design in F1, who began his work at the beginning of the year as a technical partner manager. Cardile will report directly to the team principal and group CEO, Andy Cowell. Stroll has described Newey, Cowell and Cardile as a “formidable leadership team”.

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In addition to the signings, Aston Martin has invested in a new state-of-the-art facility for F1, located in front of the entrance to the Silverstone circuit, home of the British Grand Prix. The team will also enter the new cycle of regulations with an exclusive supply of Honda engines, after years of using Mercedes power units. Honda will end its successful collaboration with Red Bull at the end of 2025.