Copyright news
In a stunning move that will see an 11-year Formula One veteran dump Hamilton for a V8 rookie named Kai Allen - and a Ferrari for a Ford - news.com.au can exclusively reveal that Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team engineer Riccardo Corte has signed with Grove Racing. Kayo Sports is the home of Supercars | Watch every race of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship LIVE & ad-break free during racing. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. “I’m really proud to be joining Grove Racing at such an exciting time for the team,” Corte said. “The progress they’ve made in recent seasons is impressive, and the Bathurst 1000 win shows what’s possible with the right people and mindset. After eleven years at Ferrari F1, I’m looking forward to bringing that experience into Supercars, helping the team keep pushing forward and maximising every opportunity on track.” Still celebrating Matt Payne’s jaw-dropping Bathurst 1000 last-lap win in the wet, Grove Racing Team owner Stephen Grove revealed how his son and team CEO Brenton convinced the Ferrari top gun to make the 16,000km move from Maranello to Melbourne to become Allen’s Race Engineer after confirming the move. “We have some contacts through other engineers that work in Formula One and we went through those contacts and ended up getting in touch with Riccardo,’ Grove said. “We discussed what coming to Australia to work on a Supercar might involve. He was very interested in the challenge of working on a car with all the differences from engines to aerodynamics, and he was keen to see the things we do. “The guys (engineers) here in Australia are unbelievably skilled. But you also need to look beyond Australia to explore other opportunities and people who have worked at the top of our sport. And Formula One is the pinnacle.” Set to work as Race Engineer on 20-year-old rookie Allen’s Ford Mustang, Corte spent the first half of the Formula One season as seven-time world champion Hamilton’s Chief Performance Engineer before shifting to a development role with the world’s most famous race team. “He is going to bring a wealth of experience with him for sure,” Grove said. “He will bring a new set of skills, and his appointment represents another major step forward for Grove Racing. He will bring an incredible depth and understanding to our program. “Alistair McVean, Kai’s current Race Engineer, remains an integral part of Grove Racing’s engineering department. He will transition into the role of Head of Performance.” The move not only represents a win for the team but also for the sport. “A lot of the Formula One guys, a lot of the NASCAR guys, and a lot of the GT guys all around the world really love Supercars,” Grove said. “Many of them follow our sport and they love how close and intense the racing is here.” Buying the team formerly known as Kelly Racing from Todd and Rick Kelly in 2021, Grove said last month’s Bathurst win was just the beginning of his plan to transform what was once a mid-field contender into a championship-winning race team. “We are definitely not here to make up the numbers,” Grove said. “We took the team over four years ago and our strategy was always to try and get to the front of Supercars, and we’ve been working super hard to do that. “We won’t be satisfied with just one Bathurst win. We want to win not only Bathurst again but also aim for the team and driver’s championships. “We recognise there’s still plenty of hard work ahead, but we’re all determined to put in the hard work.”
