Two Years to Join Ferrari: F1’s Rigorous Hiring Rules

Ferrari voices frustration over F1’s extended notice periods, citing nearly two years to onboard key hires Serra and d’Ambrosio.

Fred Vasseur revealed that it took nearly two years to bring two Mercedes F1 recruits to Ferrari due to the “frustrating” contractual rules in F1.

The recruits in question are Loïc Serra, former Mercedes Performance Director, and Jérôme d’Ambrosio, ex-head of Mercedes’ junior team. They joined Ferrari in October as Technical Director and Deputy Team Principal, respectively. D’Ambrosio will also oversee the young drivers’ program.

Both had to serve a notice period (commonly referred to as gardening leave in English), a customary practice in Formula 1 that often imposes lengthy delays before switching teams after leaving a previous employer.

While Vasseur acknowledges that this rule affects all teams equally, he finds it no less frustrating.

“With current and future hires, we must maintain the same approach, working in line with our DNA as we do today. We always strive to strengthen without destabilizing.”

“Regarding the arrival of new talent, it is frustrating that so many months must pass before new recruits can start working. But these are the rules, and they apply to everyone, even if they create rigidity.”

“We have new resources we contracted a year ago who only started six weeks ago. It’s a very long process. The recruits from last year will mainly contribute to 2025 and 2026.”

“To bring people like Jérôme d’Ambrosio and Loïc Serra into the team, it took almost two years.”

“We must keep in mind that, on one hand, with twenty-four Grands Prix a year, we have to work to resolve immediate issues within two days; on the other hand, we need to think about other resources on a two- or three-year timescale.”

“We need to identify the areas where we must improve immediately and the resources capable of working with the objective of the following season.”

“We know that if we hire someone in November, their work will impact the car two seasons later. My job is to keep one foot in each project, both immediate and future.”