A non-poaching clause in Lewis Hamilton’s current Formula 1 contract is set to prevent his new Ferrari team being able to lure key Mercedes personnel along with him.
Hamilton dropped a bombshell on Mercedes last week when he told the squad that he had activated an early exit from his deal so he can join Ferrari in 2025. The switch immediately opened up suggestions that other senior staff at Mercedes – such as his engineer Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington – could follow him as has happened in the past when other stars have changed teams.
Mechanics bring Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, to the grid Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images Such non-solicitation clauses are common in senior management contracts, and are aimed at protecting companies from a mass exodus of staff if high-level individuals are employed by a competitor and try to entice other talent to join them.