Iñaki Rueda
Ignacio "Iñaki" Rueda | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 6, 1978 Spain |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, Sporting Director |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Known for | Sporting Director for Sauber Motorsport AG, Head of Strategy and Sporting at Scuderia Ferrari |
Ignacio "Iñaki" Rueda (born 6 August 1978) is a Spanish engineer in Formula One currently serving as Sporting Director for Sauber Motorsport AG. He is responsible for guiding the team's shift to Audi for the upcoming season, taking over from Beat Zehnder. Previously, from 2021 until 2023, he held the position of Head of Strategy and Sporting at Scuderia Ferrari.
Career
Rueda's motorsport journey started with motocross between 1991 and 1999. He pursued a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Vehicle Dynamics, Controls, and Systems at the University of Colorado from 1997 to 2003. Following this, he completed a master's degree in motorsport at Cranfield University in the UK. His professional career began at McLaren Electronics, after which he joined Jordan Grand Prix as a Systems Engineer in 2005. The following year, he moved to the Renault team maintaining the same role.
In 2011, Rueda was appointed Chief Strategist at Lotus F1 Team, a role he fulfilled until 2014 when he transitioned to Scuderia Ferrari as Head of Strategy. His responsibilities broadened in January 2021 to cover sporting duties as well, becoming Head of Strategy and Sporting.
By February 2023, Rueda was replaced by Ravin Jain as Strategy Director. He gradually stepped away from his Formula One responsibilities at Ferrari by January 2024 but continued with the company in capacities outside of F1.
On 30 October 2024, Sauber Motorsport revealed that Rueda would take on the role of Sporting Director ahead of their rebranding to the Audi F1 Team scheduled for 2026. He succeeded Beat Zehnder, who will move into the position of director of programs and operations starting in 2025. Rueda's duties encompass overseeing all sporting operations and acting as the primary liaison with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).