Mercedes F1 team risk losing key figure to Premier League giants

Mercedes Formula 1 team are facing competition from a surprise sporting rival who have their sights set on snapping up a key team member.

Manchester United Football Club have searched outside the game in hopes of acquiring the best strategic sporting minds to improve their data analytics, with Mercedes F1 analyst Michael Sansoni firmly on their radar.

According to reports from The Daily Mail, the Premier League club are in advanced talks to acquire the talent of Sansoni, with the Mercedes man set to leave the Brackley-based team in favour of a position at Old Trafford.

Sansoni is currently a senior performance simulation engineer for Toto Wolff's F1 outfit, but it appears a sporting switch could be on the cards as United have highlighted their data analysis setup as one of the areas that need improving within the team.

What does Michael Sansoni do at Mercedes Formula 1 team?

In his role for Mercedes F1 team, Sansoni analyses complex data to extract the best possible performance out of the team's machinery, keeping a close eye on the data provided from the team's simulator work, past race data and live telemetry.

Should the switch to Manchester United take place, Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team would no doubt miss the data-driven insights provided by Sansoni, but it is understood that the team, who currently sit second in the constructors' standings, have assisted the move.

The football team's co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is the founder and chairman of INEOS, who is also a one-third equal shareholder and principal partner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.

As a result of this pre-existing relationship between the teams, Sansoni's likely switch is reportedly being treated as 'a move between the family'.

READ MORE: FIA announce Russell penalty verdict after Bahrain timing breach

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Toto Wolff shares fresh concerns over Kimi Antonelli F1 mistakes after maiden win

• March 20, 2026 09:44

Kimi Antonelli's father had 'clear the air talks' with Mercedes after F1 absence

• March 19, 2026 18:55

'I'm holding back tears': Wolf merch divides Mercedes fans as F1 team boss debuts shocking new look

• March 19, 2026 14:59

What Toto Wolff's bold response to Mercedes gaining F1 rivals as a junior team rumour actually means

• March 19, 2026 11:54

NLS 2026 Schedule: When is Max Verstappen's next chance of redemption at the Nurburgring?

• 1 hour ago

Zak Brown summons F1 team to McLaren HQ as 2026 crisis addressed

• 2 hours ago