Big technical coup for Ferarri

[ISLAMATRON]

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/84639

steal one of your competitors top guys, brilliant... silly Ferrari, dont they know all he has is 2007 Ferrari technical specs in his head?

[Steven]

Although it would maybe be a little far fetched, but my first thought is about whether this would have to do with Alonso being in the Ferrari team. Maybe he was one of the few in McLaren who backed Alonso when he was there. Probably not, but still...

Some interesting moves in the engineer departments recently with Lotus signing engineers from other teams too. Are they all switching for the money?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Bitter by any chance?

Fry aint all that bad...sure McLaren can replace him, but they also lose somthing by him leaving.

[ISLAMATRON]

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/20837.html

here they say he was working on the 2011 McL car

[Agenda_Is_Incorrect]

Coup? Steal?

If they hired him, he had not a contract with McL and he accepted it's not stealing, nor a coup. People come and go from teams, like Adrian Newey has come from McL and no one calls this a RB coup or steal. Ross Brown had a sabbatical but certainly knew a lot about Ferrari, no one has called that a coup or steal by Honda/Brown, not even "loud Ferrari".

...

PS: Nice to see forum owners participating and watching the forum again!

[Just_a_fan]

Movement of engineers is not unusual. Indeed, Tombazis (Ferrari) went to McLaren in 2005/6. That one always seemed odd. And of course ex-Ferrari John Iley moved to McLaren earlier this year.

When Brawn went to Ferrari he went on a 'buying spree' trying to get engineers from other teams as I understand it (from a friend who was approached at the time).

[xpensive]

The top engineering guys in F1 all have a "gardening leave" clause in their contracts, as to when they are allowed to begin working for another team. Under european law however, this requires the former team to pay full salary during said "gardening leave", otherwise the clause is void.

But I'm sure Fry wouldn't mind.

[Richard]

+1 xpensive

Anyone with commercial or technical secrets will have extended notice periods. If they hand in their notice then the team cut them off and send them home. They are still employed by the team, but spend the time doing nothing. Its very common in industries with intellectual property.

[Rob W]

I agree with Xpensive on the gardening leave clause although doubt any of the guys at this level have employment contracts which EU law would cover as he says. They'd all be contractors and, for sure, part of that would entail restraint of trade limitations. Simply, they agreed to it up-front and the time off at the end is factored in so there isn't really any issue worthy of a whole new thread.

[Pierce89]

.....

[DaveKillens]

So what if Fry changes teams, it is not a rare event when this kind of stuff happens. People of his caliber are coveted by all teams, and they are always getting juicy offers to change teams. Ferrari almost got him in '96, now it's accomplished.

As far as speculating as to the causes, who knows, maybe he was unhappy in the McLaren environment, maybe his wife had a longing for Italian food.

What is interesting is what changes this brings within the respective organizations. What is not interesting is referencing Stepneygate, in a yellow journal attempt at trolling.

[jason.parker.86]

Isnt the fact he is going still just a "Rumor"...

Sometimes people like a change... i.e. get bored. Remember Newey got drunk and accidently signed for Jaguar, until Ron Dennis stepped in and payed them off! Maybe he got drunk also?

[deus1066]

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/20837.html

here they say he was working on the 2011 McL car

Usually Mclaren alternate chief engineers with their cars e.g. Tim Goss was responsible for the 25, and Pat Fry, the 24 before it and presumably the 26 after it.

Under the Tim Goss page on the Mclaren website they still state he alternates with Fry. Looks like they've yet to replace him... or yet to update their website!

[Shaddock]

Movement of engineers is not unusual. Indeed, Tombazis (Ferrari) went to McLaren in 2005/6. That one always seemed odd. And of course ex-Ferrari John Iley moved to McLaren earlier this year.

When Brawn went to Ferrari he went on a 'buying spree' trying to get engineers from other teams as I understand it (from a friend who was approached at the time).

And then took McLarens zero keel front suspension back to Ferrari

They might not give him access to the photocopier

[Pierce89]

I personally think that even though he worked on the 2011 Macca, Ferrari's philosophy and design concepts are different enough that nothing would directly carry over. Hopefully he can help speed up R&D.