Mercedes F1 has hired a former Red Bull executive as a special adviser to help improve the team. Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff was spotted walking through the Bahrain paddock with former Red Bull personnel chief and CEO Jane Poole on Friday morning during the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, who the team said was a senior adviser.
Jane Poole will work closely with Toto Wolff to assess the current infrastructure of the Mercedes F1 team and advise on possible changes for the team to adapt to life under the cost cap. Poole is a familiar name in the F1 paddock, having been a staunch supporter of team principal Christian Horner over the years at Red Bull and was seen with him at every Grand Prix. Knowing how Red Bull works, it will also benefit Mercedes as it tries to return to the top of the F1 grid. Jane Poole was Head of Human Resources and Chief Executive Officer at Red Bull Racing. Wolff has always made it clear that F1 teams need to evolve and adapt all the time, making sure the team is not left behind when executives leave. “I think one of the things we’ve done successfully with our team is our succession planning,” Wolff said earlier this year. “Obviously you can’t freeze a successful organisation, but it has to reinvent itself most of the time, leaving the good parts,” said former Mercedes F1 strategy chief James, who was earlier appointed team principal at Williams this year. Bowles has already put the team in need of a regroup. Wolff said Bowles’ departure highlights the need to ensure the team is ready for the future. “In a way, it’s opening up the succession planning that we’ve always cherished, and the best people are carving out their own careers,” he said. “There are more positives than positives.” “On a personal note, I will miss James. I’ve worked closely with him for years, years, years.” Mercedes has yet to appoint a direct successor to the responsibilities of James Bowles, who moved away from direct strategic involvement last year, including overseeing the team’s young driver programme. Jérôme d’Ambrosio is also rumored to be joining the cabinet. However, former F1 driver Jérôme d’Ambrosio, most recently head of the Venturi team in Formula E, is said to be up for a job with Mercedes. r Belgium has been the team’s guest in the pre-scene test in Bahrain and the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix.
