Mercedes parting ways with F1 aero chief, but will get Ferrari signings early

Motorsport.com has learned that Mercedes has begun an internal reshuffle of its aerodynamics department with Vino departing following six years at the team.

He had been principal aerodynamicist from February 2018 until October 2022 when he moved into his current role.

The change in aero personnel comes ahead of the earlier-than-expected arrival of two key staff from Ferrari – including the Scuderia’s former chief designer Simone Resta, who had been signed but may have been unavailable until next year.

Instead, it is understood that Resta, who is joining as Strategic Development Director, and Enrico Sampo, who is joining as Head of Performance Software Applications, will now be able to come on board in October.

This comes as part of a contra arrangement with Ferrari, which has been allowed to get hold of its Mercedes signings Loic Serra and Jerome D’Ambrosio from the same date.

While the toing and froing of staff between Mercedes and Ferrari has been a source of interest over recent weeks, the Brackley-based squad’s technical director James Allison has played down the movements being anything out of the ordinary.

“I think it's more in the normal ebb and flow of an F1 team," he said. "The teams are big these days. And in any given year you are shipping out a whole bunch of people and shipping in a matching number. That will be true in nearly every team.”

Asked if there were any concerns about the loss of some key players in such a short space of time, Allison said: “I don't think there's any point in me offering a commentary on motivation.

“Clearly, a team needs to have a critical mass of experienced and good people. And we would not wish to see experienced good people leave us.

“But we also are gathering experienced and good people at a similar rate. So I guess it's our job to try and make sure we act in such a way as everybody would rather be with us than anywhere else.”