Formula 1 will get back into full swing within weeks. Teams are preparing their cars for the upcoming 2024 car launches before getting ready to send them to Sakhir for pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Work continues intensely at the factory. On this front, new personnel are arriving to several teams across the grid. McLaren recently welcomed Rob Marshall and David Sanchez, who arrived from Red Bull and Ferrari, respectively. However, the engineering market is far more active than these headline moves.
The negotiation for Mekies allowed Vasseur to obtain a ‘discount’ on the gardening period of other engineers
Last season, Frederic Vasseur and Christian Horner were at the centre of a controversy surrounding Laurent Mekies. Around mid-season, the Frenchman was chosen as Franz Tost’s successor in Faenza in the role of Team Principal.
Understanding that Mekies wanted to take this opportunity, Fred Vasseur did not stand in his way. A long period of negotiation took place, with the Ferrari team principal fighting to make concessions for his squad.
The above negotiations touched on various names, some high profile, others considered “second-third lines” who can still bring new ideas to Maranello.
The former Renault and Sauber team principal has already made the crucial move to sign Loic Serra, who will arrive in Maranello from Mercedes. However, owing to the length of his gardening period, most of his input will arrive in 2025 and 2026.
Ferrari will continue to recruit more top engineers to join Enrico Cardile’s technical team.
Vasseur has managed to ‘snatch’ several personnel from Red Bull, following last year’s negotiations with Christian Horner over Laurent Mekies.
The Ferrari team principal secured a shorter gardening period (just six months) for several of Red Bull’s engineers in exchange for the release of Laurent Mekies.
These technicians thus ceased their operations in Milton Keynes and Faenza over the summer and are now starting to take up service in Maranello.
Vasseur’s recruitment was primarily focused on strengthening three areas: Performance, simulation and tires.
These new arrivals are engineers with more specific knowledge of vehicle dynamics, simulations and tyre wear.
They are new technicians who, unlike more high-sounding figures, will fill out the ranks of the various existing working groups, already being able to work on the present and not (only) on distant projects.
With the aim of expanding knowledge and bringing new ideas, as well as stimulating those who were already there.
Authors: Giuliano Duchessa
Co-Authors: Paolo D’Alessandro
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
