Mercedes to swoop for ex-Ferrari engineer

Mercedes are set to add former Ferrari engineer Lorenzo Sassi to their team ahead of the 2018 season.

Sassi, who was the chief engineer of Ferrari's power unit in 2017, was fired on the direct orders of Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne in July.

It came as a shock to many at the time given how well Ferrari had developed the engine to the point where Sebastian Vettel had a 14-point advantage in the World Championship standings at the summer break.

There was also confusion as to whether Sassi had been moved to a role within the Fiat Chrysler group instead, but he is now a free agent and Mercedes are poised to snap him up.

Both AS and Marca believe the deal is done and an announcement will be made in due course.

Sassi would be following in the recent footsteps of distinguished designer Aldo Costa and current Mercedes technical director James Allison in making the move from the Scuderia to the Silver Arrows.