Crew principal Toto Wolff was noticed strolling arriving within the Bahrain paddock with Pink Bull’s former HR director and COO Jayne Poole on Friday morning, and Mercedes has confirmed that she has been signed as a senior advisor on the squad.
It’s understood that she is going to work carefully with Wolff and be concerned in evaluating the present infrastructure at Mercedes, plus provide recommendation on any potential modifications that may be made as groups alter to life beneath the price cap.
Poole is well-known inside the F1 paddock and, in her position at Pink Bull over a few years, offered strong assist to group principal Christian Horner – who she was commonly seen with at grands prix.
Her information of Pink Bull’s working strategies might additionally present advantages for Mercedes because it plots its restoration again to the entrance of the F1 grid.
Wolff has at all times been clear concerning the requirement of F1 groups to continually evolve and adapt to make sure that the squad is rarely left on the again foot if senior figures depart.
Talking earlier this yr, he mentioned: “I feel one of many successes in our group was planning succession.
“It is clear that you may’t freeze a profitable construction. However you must nearly reinvent your self, while maintaining what’s good.”
Mercedes has already confronted the necessity to reshuffle issues this yr following the departure of former technique chief James Vowles, who has change into group principal at Williams.
James Vowles, Crew Principal, Williams Racing
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Wolff mentioned that Vowles’ exit highlighted the necessity for his group to keep watch over being effectively ready for the longer term.
“In a approach it opens up that succession planning that we now have at all times cherished, and good individuals will make their very own approach of their careers,” he mentioned.
“There’s many extra execs in James leaving and changing into a group principal in Williams than negatives.
“From a private facet, clearly, James might be missed. I have been working carefully for him for a lot of, many, a few years.”
Mercedes has not but appointed a direct alternative for Vowles by way of the obligations he took on final yr as he stepped away from direct technique involvement, which included taking cost of the group’s younger driver programme.
Nonetheless, former grand prix driver Jerome d’Ambrosio, who was most just lately a group boss for Venturi in Method E, has been linked with taking a place at Mercedes.
The Belgian was a visitor of the group ultimately week’s Bahrain check and also will be current at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.