Ferrari has hired Jerome d’Ambrosio, previously the second-in-command to Toto Wolff at Mercedes, to serve as their deputy team principal and head of the Formula 1 driver academy. Additionally, the team has confirmed the hiring of Loic Serra, former performance director at Mercedes, as the new head of chassis performance engineering. d’Ambrosio will replace Laurent Mekies, who left to become team principal at RB Racing before this season. Both d’Ambrosio and Serra will start their roles at Ferrari on October 1, 2023.
Prior to joining Ferrari, d’Ambrosio held the position of deputy team principal and later became the overall team principal at Venturi in Formula E after retiring from driving. At Mercedes, his main responsibility was overseeing the team’s young driver program. His arrival in 2023 was aimed at providing Toto Wolff with a dedicated right-hand man after James Vowles left to lead Williams. There were even discussions about the possibility of d’Ambrosio succeeding Wolff in the long term. However, after just one season, he leaves Mercedes and joins Ferrari as the head of their driver academy and deputy to Vasseur.
During his racing career, d’Ambrosio competed in 20 Formula 1 races, driving for 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. He then transitioned to Formula E, where he found success, winning three races and finishing in the top five in the championship with the Dragon team in the first two seasons.
The appointments of d’Ambrosio and Serra have been widely known in the paddock for several months, highlighting their importance. Serra, a highly respected figure at Mercedes, is admired by Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari in 2025. However, it is important to note that Hamilton’s arrival did not influence Serra’s decision. Ferrari was initially linked to Serra almost a year ago, indicating that this change has been planned for some time. If anything, it was Serra’s imminent departure that may have influenced Hamilton’s choice to leave Mercedes.
In contrast, d’Ambrosio’s role at Mercedes was relatively uncertain. Although brought in as a replacement for Vowles, his position lacked public visibility as he was mainly seen alongside Wolff in the pit lane. At Ferrari, d’Ambrosio is expected to have a more defined purpose. Vasseur has needed support since Mekies’ departure, and the Ferrari Driver Academy requires focused attention that Jock Clear, Ferrari’s senior engineer and Charles Leclerc’s driver coach, may not be able to provide.
These appointments are significant for Ferrari. If d’Ambrosio can make a substantial contribution on the sporting side, and Serra possesses the same level of technical influence he had at Mercedes, they will be valuable additions to Vasseur’s team.
