Thomas Hinss
Aussie Commentator and Writer
The Mercedes F1 team are preparing to take legal action against an engineer within the Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains engine manufacturer, after he allegedly took confidential information as he prepared to join rival team Ferrari, reported the BBC.
The engineer in question is Benjamin Hoyle, who allegedly searched for, and saved race data presumably to aid the 2016 efforts of the Scuderia. He was set to leave Mercedes at the end of 2015 and begin working with Ferrari for the 2016 season and beyond.
"The company has taken the appropriate legal steps to protect its intellectual property," said a Mercedes team spokesperson.
According to Bloomberg, the team wants the allegedly taken documents and information returned and the payment of its legal fees. They are also pursuing to block Hoyle from being able to leave the team and join Ferrari or any rival team in F1 until the completion of the 2016 season.
Ferrari kept the alleged incident at arm’s length, with a spokesman for the team telling Reuters that Hoyle did not have a “formal contract” to join the team in 2016, saying “We are not involved in this.”
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