After progressing to the position of technical director in charge of engines, he left Toyota on 19 January 2009, only to return to Ferrari on 6 October that year, replacing Frenchman Gilles Simon as head of the engine and electronics department.
Following his promotion to technical director overseeing engines at Toyota, he resigned in January 2009 before rejoining Ferrari on October 6th of that same year, replacing French engineer Gilles Simon as head of the engine and electronics division.