P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton ‘non-poaching’ clause set to prevent key Mercedes F1 departures
Lewis Hamilton shocked Mercedes last week by activating an early exit from his contract to join Ferrari in 2025. This has led to speculation that other senior staff at Mercedes, such as his engineer Pete “Bono” Bonnington, could follow suit, as has happened in the past with other drivers. However, it seems that a similar personnel shift cannot happen in Hamilton’s case due to a specific clause in his Mercedes contract. This “non-poaching” clause is meant to prevent team personnel from being lured away if the driver switches teams. Such clauses are common in senior management contracts and aim to protect companies from mass staff exodus. In the world of F1, these clauses have also been included in driver contracts to limit their ability to bring team members with them. It remains to be seen how this will impact Hamilton and his partnership with Bonnington. Team principal Toto Wolff has mentioned that discussions about the future will need to take place in the coming months.
