F1: Hamashima, Clark Add Strength To Ferrari

Formula 1

F1: Hamashima, Clark Add Strength To Ferrari

Ferrari has strengthened its roster ahead of the 2012 season...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted January 11, 2012 Balen (BEL)

Ferrari is hard at work in preparation for the upcoming season. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ferrari has strengthened its technical team with two intriguing key appointments in former Bridgestone leading light Hirohide Hamashima and Mercedes engineer Steve Clark.

Hamashima was at Bridgestone for some 34 years, and latterly headed the F1 program. The 59-year-old will give the Italian team a valuable insight into tire development.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali said: “He will head up a new project focusing on an in-depth assessment of an area crucial to performance, which is the interaction between the car and its tires, and he will also be our technical link to Pirelli.”

Meanwhile, Clark will be head of race engineering, overseeing Andrea Stella and Rob Smedley.

Clark’s busy CV includes stints at Lotus, Ligier, Arrows, Sauber and in Champcar with Ganassi and Pac West. He was at McLaren from 2002-2007, working with Ferrari technical director Pat Fry. He then joined Honda, remaining with the Brackley team into the Brawn and Mercedes eras.

Adam Cooper notched up his 26th season as a racing journalist in 2010. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Cooper

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

F1: Paddy Lowe Finally Confirmed At Mercedes
Paddy Lowe will join the team as Executive Director (Technical) Monday…
F1: We Need To Improve Qualifying, Says Massa
Felipe Massa says Ferrari is still not where it wants to be...
F1: Grosjean Pumped About Monaco Prospects
Romain Grosjean wrecked on the first lap of the 2012 Monaco GP...…