Mercedes F1 exodus continue as ANOTHER major member ditches team

F1 News

Mercedes F1 exodus continue as ANOTHER major member ditches team

Mercedes have lost their chief aerodynamicist in another blow to the team

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 18 May 2024 10:59

A key Mercedes figure has left the team following the departure of other staff members to Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton earlier this year announced he would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025, a major blow to the German team.

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This follows a winless streak for the seven-time world champion, with his last victory coming at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Mercedes have further slipped behind their rivals in 2024, with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren providing stronger packages, each team picking up at least one race win this season.

Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025

Mercedes have fallen behind Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari in 2024

Which staff have Ferrari poached from rivals?

Hamilton will not arrive at Ferrari alone, however, bringing with him Mercedes performance director Loic Serra and driver development director Jerome d'Ambrosio.

Serra will take on the role of head of chassis performance engineering, while D'Ambrosio will assist Fred Vasseur as deputy team principal, as well as becoming the head of Ferrari's young driver academy.

Reports also suggest that Ferrari have managed to sign legendary engineer Adrian Newey following his departure from Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton expressed his desire for Newey to join the Scuderia during the Miami Grand Prix weekend, stating he would ‘very much’ like to work with the designer.

READ MORE: Mercedes star in car SWAP at Imola

Now, Mercedes’ woes have worsened with their chief aerodynamicist Gioacchino Vino leaving the team.

It has not been confirmed whether Vino will join Hamilton at Ferrari, but the loss is a significant blow to Mercedes.

Technical director James Allison downplayed the news, describing this kind of movement as 'normal', according to The Athletic.

"The teams are big these days, and in any given year, you are shipping out a whole bunch of people and shipping in a matching number," Allison argued.

"That'll be true in nearly every team."

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Newey