The ulterior motive behind Mercedes' F1 engineering talent stockpile
When talented Formula 1 engineers start to think about retiring or taking up other interests, it creates headaches for their current employers when rival teams come sniffing. This, as STUART CODLING explains, could answer what was behind the planned Mercedes engineering management reshuffle
Monopolising the talent pool is a virtually surefire way to ensure success in Formula 1. Until pretty recently, for instance, Mercedes had so many former technical directors from other teams on its books that it seemed to have one for every day of the week and another for Sunday best.
Aside from laying hands on sufficient coin of the realm to pay all those salaries, the challenge is how to manage that inevitable moment when they decide they want to leave – either for another team or to enjoy more time on the sofa, spending Sundays digesting Bridgerton or somesuch froth rather than performance data.
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