Mercedes, the dominant force in Formula 1 for several years, has recently faced a significant setback with key personnel departing from the team. The latest departure is that of Gioacchino Vino, the chief aerodynamicist, who has left the team after more than six years. Vino’s exit follows the confirmed departures of Jerome d’Ambrosio and Loic Serra earlier this week.
Mercedes’ chief aerodynamicist Gioacchino Vino has left the team, the team has confirmed.
This comes after exits of Jerome d'Ambrosio and Loic Serra were confirmed earlier this week. #F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/EdxJm0jxds
— Desi Racing Co. (@DesiRacingco) May 17, 2024
Gioacchino Vino, affectionately known as “Jack,” had been an integral part of the Mercedes team since joining in February 2018 as the principal aerodynamicist. His expertise contributed to the development of championship-winning cars, including the W9, W10, W11, and W12. However, Vino also played a role in the underperforming W13 and W14 models. His departure marks a significant loss for Mercedes, especially considering his extensive experience in aerodynamics.
Vino will serve a six-month period of gardening leave before potentially joining another Formula 1 team. His departure comes at a time when team is already grappling with other key personnel changes, including the resignation of chief technical officer Mike Elliott late last year.
Jerome d’Ambrosio and Loic Serra’s Moves from Mercedes
Jerome d’Ambrosio, who held the position of Mercedes’ driver development director, is set to join Ferrari next year. His move to Maranello is not directly linked to Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile switch to Ferrari but adds to the growing list of personnel changes within the team. D’Ambrosio’s experience and insights will undoubtedly be valuable to Ferrari as they aim to strengthen their competitive position.
Loic Serra, the team’s’ head of vehicle performance, is also making the move to Ferrari. He will take on the role of head of chassis performance engineering at the Italian team. Serra’s responsibilities will include overseeing track engineering, aero development, aero operations, and overall vehicle performance. His departure from Mercedes further underscores the challenges the team is currently facing.
READ MORE: This is What Former Mercedes Engineer Jérôme d’Ambrosio Will Do at Ferrari
