Jerome D’Ambrosio has revealed that he personally approached Fred Vasseur about joining Ferrari, taking the initiative after Laurent Mekies’ departure created an opportunity within the Maranello team. The move ultimately brought the former Mercedes manager together with Vasseur more than two decades after their professional paths first crossed.
D’Ambrosio has served as Ferrari’s deputy team principal since joining the Scuderia in October 2024, reporting directly to Fred Vasseur while also taking responsibility for the Ferrari Driver Academy. His arrival from Mercedes formed part of a broader strengthening of Ferrari’s senior structure, with Jerome D’Ambrosio and Loic Serra joining Ferrari during the same period. Ferrari officially announced D’Ambrosio’s appointment in 2024, with his role beginning on 1 October.
Jerome D’Ambrosio and Fred Vasseur’s relationship goes back more than 20 years
The relationship between Fred Vasseur and Jerome D’Ambrosio dates back to 2003, when the Belgian was still pursuing his career as a racing driver. D’Ambrosio completed several Formula Renault tests with ASM, the team then run by Vasseur.
During the years that followed, including D’Ambrosio’s time in GP2, the pair discussed the possibility of working together in the future. That opportunity never materialised while D’Ambrosio was still racing, but their relationship became closer after the Belgian retired from competition.
As recounted in Vasseur’s biography, En Piste, D’Ambrosio sought advice on how to build a career as a motorsport manager from three people in particular: Fred Vasseur, Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff.
A planned Sauber move disappeared when Fred Vasseur joined Ferrari
D’Ambrosio explained that plans had effectively been put in place for him to join Sauber for the 2023 season and work alongside Vasseur. The situation changed when Ferrari selected the Frenchman to become its new team principal, bringing that potential collaboration to an end before it could begin.
Instead, D’Ambrosio joined Mercedes at the beginning of 2023, where he worked closely with Toto Wolff. His experience there would later become part of the expertise he brought to Maranello, where his responsibilities have expanded across several areas of Ferrari’s Formula 1 operation. His influence has also extended to areas such as helping Lewis Hamilton and his wider team adapt to Ferrari.
Jerome D’Ambrosio personally called Fred Vasseur about Ferrari move
Approximately a year and a half after joining Mercedes, D’Ambrosio decided the time had come to pursue the opportunity at Ferrari. Laurent Mekies’ departure from Maranello had created an opening in Vasseur’s management structure, and rather than waiting for Ferrari to approach him, D’Ambrosio made the first move himself.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but Laurent Mekies’ departure had opened up an opportunity with Fred,” D’Ambrosio explained in the book. “Also, from a personal point of view, with two young children, England was increasingly less suited to our family needs.”
Laurent Mekies had left Ferrari during the 2023 season after accepting the opportunity to lead the Faenza-based team that subsequently became Racing Bulls. His final weekend on Ferrari’s pit wall came in Hungary, after which Ferrari redistributed his responsibilities internally.
Jerome D’Ambrosio stressed that there was nothing secretive about his decision to leave Mercedes and that Toto Wolff was fully aware of why he wanted to make the switch.
“This move to Ferrari happened in complete transparency and I explained the reasons for my decision to Toto. I was the one who took the initiative to call Fred when Laurent’s departure was announced. And he accepted.”
A Ferrari partnership 20 years in the making
For Jerome D’Ambrosio, joining Ferrari was therefore about more than simply taking another senior Formula 1 management position. It finally allowed him to work alongside Fred Vasseur after years in which circumstances had repeatedly prevented the two from joining forces.
“After all these years of knowing each other, we could finally work together. A 20-year-old dream was becoming reality,” D’Ambrosio concluded.
The Belgian now operates as Fred Vasseur’s deputy at Maranello, with Ferrari describing him as Deputy Team Principal as well as Head of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy. His role places him directly within the senior management structure supporting Vasseur as the team continues its push at the front of Formula 1.
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