Pat Fry Replaces Chris Dyer at Ferrari

As reported by several media in Italy in the last couple of months, Ferrari's head of race track engineering Chris Dyer has lost his job with the Scuderia. Needless to say, the Italian squad did not give an official explanation for its decision, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it was his strategy mistake in Abu Dhabi that cost him that position.

Instead, Ferrari have named their new deputy technical director Pat Fry to take Dyer's duties. Fry joined the Maranello company during the course of the 2010 season, after he left his position as Chief Engineer of Race Development within the McLaren Mercedes team.

However, Dyer will not leave Ferrari before the 2011 season, as his “role within the company will be redefined in the next few days,” as announced by a press release on the team's media website.

In mid-December, Ferrari's president Luca di Montezemolo confirmed that some moves would be operated within the Maranello organization prior to the upcoming season, but no drastic measures would be taken. While the one involving Chris Dyer comes a bit in contradiction with his comments, Ferrari have also announced the addition of Neil Martin to their organization.

“Joining the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro is the respected engineer, Neil Martin, who takes on the role of heading up the new Operations Research department. A 38-year old Englishman, Martin previously worked for Red Bull and prior to that McLaren and he will now report directly to Technical Director, Aldo Costa,” said the statement from Ferrari.

Curiously enough, Martin will join the Scuderia after previously serving as race strategist for Red Bull. However, back when Fernando Alonso was driving for McLaren Mercedes, Martin and Fry both worked alongside the Spaniard. The trio will therefore reunite for Ferrari's title efforts in 2011.