Gardening leave avoided “intensity” of in-season F1 team switch

Mekies will officially join the soon-to-be-renamed Faenza outfit on January 1. He will work alongside CEO Peter Bayer in a two-man arrangement as former boss Franz Tost heads for retirement.

Former Ferrari sporting director Mekies remains a Maranello employee until the end of this month, but he has been on gardening leave and has not worked since the summer break.

He believes that the time off has actually been beneficial as it has allowed him…