Roger Haddad

Automotive Service Technician '07, SAIT School of Transportation
Test Engineer, Red Bull Powertrains

Since rebuilding his first car in high school armed only with a Haynes Repair Manual and unbridled enthusiasm, Roger Haddad’s passion for the combustion engine hasn’t waned. 

Today his role with Red Bull Racing’s Research and Development team takes the precision required — and the stakes involved — to the next level. For the past year and a half, he’s been working at top speed to prepare for a major shift in power unit regulations for Formula 1 racing, a sport viewed by 1.54 billion people worldwide.

Starting in 2026, every F1 engine must run on a hybrid electric motor and an internal combustion engine powered by fully sustainable fuels. 

“Everything has to be perfect,” Haddad says. “Gaining an extra hundredth of a second of performance means thousands of parts have to work together in unison. It takes exact timing and tolerances to produce an incredible amount of power from only droplets of fuel.” 

Pushing engines to their limit means endless testing. That’s where Haddad shines. Drawing on his experience as a licensed mechanic and advanced motorsports engineer, he is part of a small team that designs and creates equipment to meticulously test any component that moves, rotates, pumps or spins in every single Red Bull engine. He says his apprenticeship training is an important part of his toolkit and that he still likes getting his hands dirty. 

“I get to use all the skills I’ve learned over the years, doing my part and making a contribution,” he says. 

Because, Haddad explains, building a race-winning engine isn’t something you do alone. He loves being part of a team that is passionate, working toward the same goal and willing to go the extra mile. “Going up against companies that have been building engines for decades is both nerve-wracking and exciting. I’m living a lot of people’s dreams right now — including my own.” 

Haddad says receiving SAIT’s first International Impact Alumni Award is humbling. “There are amazing people doing incredible things in different fields around the world. It’s such an honour to have been nominated for this award, let alone being selected to receive it.”