Ferrari has hired the services of Jerome d’Ambrosio, who previously worked as right-hand man to Toto Wolff at Mercedes, to take on the role of deputy team principal and head of the Formula 1 driver academy. In addition, Loic Serra, former performance director at Mercedes, has been appointed as the new head of chassis performance engineering at Ferrari. Both d’Ambrosio and Serra will begin their roles at Ferrari on October 1st of this year.
D’Ambrosio, a former Formula 1 driver, fills the gap left by Laurent Mekies, who left to become team principal at Red Bull. Mekies served as deputy to Fred Vasseur at Ferrari in his role as sporting director. Before joining Ferrari, d’Ambrosio held the position of deputy team principal at the Venturi Formula E team after retiring from racing. At Mercedes, he was responsible for overseeing the young driver program. His arrival at Ferrari initially aimed to provide Toto Wolff with a dedicated right-hand man after James Vowles left to lead Williams. There were even speculations about d’Ambrosio eventually succeeding Wolff. However, he ends up leaving Mercedes after just one season and takes on the roles of head of the driver academy and deputy team principal at Ferrari, contrary to previous rumors.
D’Ambrosio competed in 20 Formula 1 races, representing the Virgin team in 2011 and making a single appearance for Lotus as a substitute for the banned Romain Grosjean at the 2012 Italian Grand Prix, during his time as a reserve driver for the team. He then transitioned to Formula E in its inaugural season, securing three wins over a six-year period and finishing in the top five in the championship in the first two seasons with the Dragon team.
Although these appointments have been known in the paddock for several months, their importance should not be underestimated. Ferrari gains a highly respected figure from Mercedes in Serra, who is highly admired by Lewis Hamilton, the star signed by Ferrari for 2025. However, it is important to note that Hamilton’s arrival did not influence Serra’s decision to join Ferrari. Rumors linking Serra to Ferrari started almost a year ago, indicating that this move was in progress long before Hamilton’s possible departure from Mercedes became a factor.
As for d’Ambrosio, his role at Mercedes was brief and somewhat ambiguous. Initially hired as a substitute for Vowles, he did not hold a prominent position and was mainly seen alongside Wolff in the pit lane. Although he certainly had more responsibilities than were visible to the public, it is expected that his role at Ferrari will be more clearly defined.
In recent months, there has been a gap in support for Vasseur since Mekies’ departure to RB. Furthermore, the Ferrari Driver Academy requires more focused attention than Jock Clear, a senior engineer at Ferrari and Charles Leclerc’s driver coach, can provide. These are significant roles for d’Ambrosio to take on. If he can make a substantial contribution on the sporting side, combined with Serra’s technical influence, for which he was renowned at Mercedes, his additions to Vasseur’s Ferrari team will undoubtedly be powerful.
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Brazilian football player, Carlos Silva, is causing controversy with his recent statements about his departure from the club. In an exclusive interview for our newspaper, Silva revealed the reasons that led him to make this surprising decision.
According to the player, lack of support from the board and pressure from the press were the main factors that led him to leave the club. He also mentioned that he was dissatisfied with the salary and training conditions offered by the team.
Silva, who is known for his skills on the field, stated that he is looking for a new challenge in his career. He did not reveal which club he intends to play for, but it is speculated that he has offers from major European teams.
The news of his departure from the club caused great commotion among the fans. Many expressed their sadness on social media and asked the board to reconsider the decision and try to convince the player to stay.
Despite the controversies, Silva remains one of the most talented players in the country and will certainly be sought after by several clubs. Now we must wait to find out what will be the next destination for the Brazilian star.
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