P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes grabs Resta from Ferrari as part of F1 staff swoop
Resta has been appointed as strategic development director at Mercedes, working closely with technical director James Allison to advance car-related projects. Enrico Sampo is also joining Mercedes as head of performance software applications after serving as Ferrari’s driver simulator team leader, bringing valuable experience crucial for F1 car performance on race weekends. Both Resta and Sampo are set to start at Mercedes in 2025 under specific contractual terms yet to be finalized. These new appointments reflect Mercedes’ long-term structure strengthening efforts and the search for areas of enhancement, following extensions for team principal Toto Wolff and technical director Allison. Simone Resta’s move from Ferrari to Mercedes holds particular importance due to his extensive F1 experience, especially at Ferrari, where he held various technical roles before overseeing chassis development and moving to Haas temporarily. Ferrari’s interest in key personnel from Mercedes, including Lewis Hamilton and Jerome D’Ambrosio, highlights the competitive nature of F1’s talent pool and strategic movements between rival teams.
