DECEMBER 2, 1996

Brawn starts work at Maranello

FORMER Benetton designer Ross Brawn starts as technical director of the Ferrari competition department.

FORMER Benetton designer Ross Brawn starts as technical director of the Ferrari competition department. This is a newly-created post. Brawn will report directly to Jean Todt as will the head of the engine department Paolo Martinelli and Ferrari's head of design and development John Barnard.

Barnard is expected to leave the team when his contract expires in July and so Brawn will probably need to recruit some new designers to work in Aldo Costa's drawing office at Maranello. Brawn's former Benetton colleague Willen Toet is already in charge of aerodynamics at Ferrari. One man who may not appreciate the arrival of Brawn is Gustav Brunner, who has been the top chassis engineer at Maranello since January 1994. He has been courted heavily in recent months by Sauber - which want him to become Technical Director at Hinwil - but has a Ferrari contract until the end of 1997.

There has also been a reshuffle of Ferrari's organizing team, with team manager Claudio Berro replacing GiancarloÊBaccini as press officer. His role is to be taken over by Stefano Domenicali who has been looking after Ferrari's marketing department for the last year.