Jerome D’Ambrosio has announced that he is retiring from competitive driving after taking up the role of Deputy Team Principal at ROKiT Venturi Racing.
The Belgian drove for Mahindra Racing last season having competed in every season of the championship, securing three wins and six further podiums in that time.
But despite only being 34 years old D’Ambrosio has chosen to hang up his helmet and take on a ‘new challenge’.
Speaking about his move into management, he said that while his hunger to win hadn’t diminished his gut feeling was that this decision was the right one.
“My experience as a driver over the past 26 years has undeniably shaped me as a person and, when I decided after Berlin to hang up my helmet, I knew I wanted to stay involved in motorsport in some capacity,” D’Ambrosio said.
“I’m still a very competitive person. That hunger to win doesn’t leave you when you decide to step out of the car, and I want to put that passion to good use.
“When Susie and I started talking about potentially taking my first step into a management role, I knew in my gut that the opportunity was perfect for me.
“It’s time for a new challenge and I have a lot to learn, but I know that I’ll be learning from one of the best and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”
As a driver who also recently retired from driving to take up a management role, Venturi Team Principal Susie Wollf said she knew how important this decision had been for D’Ambrosio.
She also said she envisaged him playing a key role in the team, and that he would act as her right-hand man at the team’s base in Monaco.
“When I took on the role of Team Principal in July 2018, one of my main areas of focus was to ensure that we have the right people in the right roles,” Wolff commented.
“Jérôme taking on the role of Deputy Team Principal will serve to strengthen the team – he will play a pivotal role with our drivers and engineering team and act as my right hand in Monaco.
“I know what it’s like to hang up your helmet and I also know how important the next move is at any pivotal stage of a person’s career. Like Jérôme, I’m someone who follows their gut instincts and I think that we’ll make a fantastic team moving forward.”
Mahindra have already announced that Alexander Sims will be joining them for season seven of the series, with Alex Lynn favourite to take the second seat after impressing the team at the tail-end of last season.
