Aldo Costa says the deal to return to Formula 1 with Mercedes was too tempting to turn down, following his departure at Ferrari earlier in the year.
The Italian will reunite with Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher after working with the pair during the highly successful ‘Schumacher era’ in which the team won numerous titles.
“I’m enthusiastic. Mercedes is pushing to be successful and that philosophy matches my ambitions and my character,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Once it was over with Ferrari in early July, I spoke with Brawn and Bob Bell. Just a few words with Ross were enough to find ourselves on the same wavelength as ever.”
The former Ferrari technical director said he considered a career away from motorsport, but in the end the chance to return with Mercedes was too tempting.
“Yes, I considered the possibility of doing something outside racing. But then the possibility of returning with a big team like Mercedes drew me back in.
“I will be engineering director, leading the team that will take care of designing and developing the car. I will also follow young technicians. It’s an exclusively designing job, I won’t go to the track, a bit like I used to do in Ferrari before becoming technical director.”