Mekies, the FIA's safety delegate and deputy race director for Formula 1 and F2, will start at Ferrari in just over six months, on September 20. He will report to technical director Mattia Binotto.

After last year's Marcin Budkowski case – when the former head of the FIA's technical department left to join Renault – the matter of gardening leave was discussed by the teams in a Strategy Group meeting.

It was agreed that 12 months would be an appropriate minimum wait for former employees of both the FIA and the F1 Group.

The fact that this deadline has been broken so soon after it was agreed has angered McLaren.

"We very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Motorsport.com.

"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."

Other teams are known to have expressed similar views in private, although they have yet to comment publicly.