Former Ferrari chief takes up new role at McLaren in key appointment

McLaren has confirmed it has secured the services of long-time Ferrari communications chief Luca Colajanni, replacing the departing Sophie Ogg.

Colajanni will join McLaren in the coming week, as he returns to working with a team following his most recent stint at Pirelli.

Luca Colajanni joins McLaren

McLaren has secured the services of Luca Colajanni as its new F1 communications director, replacing the departing Sophie Ogg.

Ogg was recently announced as leaving McLaren after almost four years in charge, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix being her last race with the Woking-based squad.

She will be replaced by Colajanni, who joins after almost three years overseeing communications at Pirelli.

Colajanni boasts a long career in Formula 1, having worked as a communications consultant, press officer and head of communications at Ferrari between 1992 and 2014.

Following stints at Marussia, Formula E, the FIA, and Formula 1, Colajanni returned to Ferrari in 2020 before switching to Pirelli in 2023 following a brief stint in Italian tennis.

With more than 30 years of experience in F1 communications, Colajanni will oversee McLaren’s communications strategy effective from the United States Grand Prix as he succeeds Ogg from the 8th of October.

The reason for Ogg’s departure has been attributed to personal life changes and a long commute from her home to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.

Ogg’s departure comes seven months after the departure of chief communications officer Steve Atkins, who left at the end of February, citing personal reasons.

It’s a similar story at Audi, where effective head of communication Guido Stalmann vacated his role at the end of September.

Stalmann, whose official title was Audi’s director of partnerships, communication, and business affairs, had been with the German manufacturer since December 2021 and played a vital part in overseeing the communications strategy through its start-up phase and integration into Sauber.

Aside from Audi, Stalmann oversaw BMW’s communications as an engine supplier to Williams at the turn of the millennium, as well as the marque’s arrival into F1 with Sauber in 2006.

It’s been a tumultuous year for F1’s communications teams, with Ogg and Stalmann the latest names to depart senior roles.

In July, Red Bull’s head of communications, Paul Smith, was fired from his post, alongside the company’s decision to relieve Christian Horner of his operational duties as CEO and team principal.

Smith has yet to be formally replaced, although Red Bull has brought back former communications chief Eric Silbermann to oversee and advise senior communications managers Alice Hedworth and Anna Webster.

Former Red Bull communications manager Julianna Jackson has also recently switched to Williams, effective as of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

At Cadillac, former Renault and Alpine head of communications Lucy Genon has returned to Formula 1 as she has taken up the post of head of media and PR for the American squad.

Separately, former Aston Martin chief communications officer Adrian Atkinson, who departed his role at the conclusion of 2024, recently announced he has taken up a new post overseeing the communications strategy of General Motors’ motorsports programme.

“I am thrilled to announce that I have joined General Motors in a new role, as Executive Director, Global Motorsports Communications,” he said of his new role.

“The opportunity to work for such a storied company with more than 115 years of innovation, incredible brands including Cadillac and Chevrolet, and world-class vehicles is truly inspiring and a huge privilege.

“I had the pleasure to meet President Mark Reuss, and he shared GM’s exciting plans for the Cadillac F1 project with TWG Motorsports.

“I look forward to leading motorsport communications for all of GM’s racing activities, including Formula 1, IMSA – International Motor Sports Association, FIA World Endurance Championship, INDYCAR, and NASCAR.”

With stability across the senior positions at the rest of the teams, the longest serving communications chief is currently Fabiana Valenti of Racing Bulls.

The Italian has been with the Faenza-based squad since its Minardi iteration in 2000, and has moved into a predominantly factory-based role in recent months.

Valenti has a decade’s head start on Mercedes’ Bradley Lord, who has been with the German marque since February 2011 – Lord has since become the team’s chief communications officer and team representative under Toto Wolff.

Just a few months behind him in longevity is Will Hings of Aston Martin, head of media and communications, who joined the then-Force India squad in April 2011, working alongside chief communications officer Luke Skipper, Atkinson’s replacement at the Silverstone-based squad.

Read Next: Red Bull continue to apply the pressure, with more updates in Singapore