Formula 1 News: Mercedes steals two people from Ferrari

Mercedes has poached two senior Ferrari staff members, including its former chief designer Simone Resta, as part of a bid to strengthen its Formula 1 operation, Autosport reports.

Resta, who headed the failed Haas car design before being asked to resign, has been signed as strategic development director and will work directly with technical director James Allison to push forward with car-related projects.

Also joining Mercedes is Enrico Sampo, who is joining as head of performance software applications.

Sampo has been Ferrari’s driver simulator team leader for the past few years, and has vast experience in an area that is now proving critical to F1 car performance ahead of, and during, race weekends.

Amid Haas’ plight in recent seasons, it was announced that Resta’s loan arrangement had been cut short prior to the news Guenther Steiner had not been retained.

Resta, had been linked with a move to Red Bull’s rebranded second squad.

Both Resta and Sampo will be unable to begin work with the German marque until 2025 once their respective periods of gardening leave have been completed.

Ferrari had poached Loic Serra before also recruiting Lewis Hamilton for 2025, while Mercedes Driver Development Director Jerome D’Ambrosio is set to also move to Maranello.

This latest switch between Ferrari and Mercedes comes at a time when the Italian outfit had been on an aggressive recruitment drive from several of its rivals on the grid. Now they are getting a taste of their own medicine.