McLaren livid over FIA Mekies' planned move to Ferrari

McLaren is unhappy with the FIA, claiming the move of its safety delegate Laurent Mekies to Ferrari contravenes an agreement between the governing body and F1 teams.

The FIA official who, in addition to his safety duties, also acted as the deputy race director for F1 and F2, will be taking on a technical role at the House of Maranello at the end of September this year.

Mekies is the second FIA official in a year to move to an F1 team, with the former head of the institution's technical department, Marcin Budkowski, having been previously recruited by Renault.

The latter's move generated discontent among the teams which saw Budkowski as privvy to F1 teams' engineering secrets collected in his role with the FIA.

• FIA deputy race director Mekies jumps ship for Maranello

The issue was addressed in a recent Strategy Group meeting, with teams subsequently agreeing that a 12-month period of gardening leave would be enforced for any F1 FIA officials taking up employment with a team.

With the term reduced to six months by Ferrari in Mekies' case, McLaren's Eric Boullier has understandably expressed his displeasure with the deal, according to a report by Motorsport.com, accusing both engaged parties of reneging on the teams' agreement.

"We are very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," said the McLaren racing director.

"Especially after it was agreed by all teams at the last Strategy Group meeting that no key technical FIA employees would be employed by a race team within 12 months of leaving the FIA.

"Ferrari went against the gentleman's agreement, and the FIA has not enforced it."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter