Who Is Inaki Rueda – Ferrari’s F1 Chief Strategist?

Formula One is more than just racing, it’s also about strategy; having a game plan for a Grand Prix can make or break a team’s weekend. Ferrari have a great chief strategist at their disposal, a person with years of experience on track, which can help the Scuderia bring crucial results.

The man in question is Inaki Rueda, head of race strategy and sporting. He has years of experience around the paddock before joining the Maranello-based squad as a key person.

The journey of Inaki Rueda, Ferrari’s key player

Rueda was born in Madrid, on the 6th of August 1978; he invested his time in motorsport as he took part in races from 1991 to 1999. Later he pursued studies and work from 1997 to 2003 at the University of Colorado, getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Dynamic Controls and Systems.

He had his eyes set on the world of Formula One, and joined McLaren Electronics, but was more enthusiastic on the trackside. Hence, in 2005 he joined Jordan GP, which later transitioned into Midland; his job was of a Systems Engineer.

He soon moved to Renault to fill in the same role as before, when the team was rebranded as Lotus, Rueda moved up the ladder and became Race Strategy Engineer, a place where worked till his departure in 2014 to join the famous Italian team.

Rueda was appointed at the Scuderia as Head of Race Strategy, and in 2021, he was Head of Race Strategy & Sporting.

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How is the Italian team doing this season?

The red team has seemed to have found its mojo back, after enduring a terrible season last year, as they finished sixth in the team’s standings. This season saw the Scuderia bring in Carlos Sainz from McLaren to help them to fight for the 2021 championship.

Sainz has hit the ground running, as he managed to bring home the team’s first podium this season at the Monaco GP, where he finished P2. Currently, they occupy fourth place in the constructor’s standings with 122 points, just behind rivals, McLaren.

Rueda is hoping that with well-thought-out strategies, he can help Charles Leclerc and Sainz bring more podiums and potentially wins this season, which are much needed for the Maranello-based squad.

With the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone scheduled in two weeks time, the team hopes to bring an A-game to the track and dominate their opponents.

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