Mercedes chief steps down as wait for Lewis Hamilton race win continues

31 October 2023 , 17:10

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Mercedes' Mike Elliott said it was a "shame" to see de Vries join a Red Bull team (Image: Getty Images)

Mercedes have confirmed the departure of chief technical officer Mike Elliott after 11 years working with the F1 team.

Elliott, 49, had previously worked with McLaren and Renault before initially joining Mercedes in 2012 to become head of aerodynamics before taking up a role as technology director in a period of great success for Lewis Hamilton.

The Brit's last world title came in 2020 and it was announced the following year that Elliott would succeed James Allison as technical director. But after two years of disappointment, Mercedes confirmed Allison's return back in April with Elliott becoming chief technical officer.

It was a move that is said to have been suggested by Elliott himself and backed by team principal Toto Wolff, with Mercedes improving this season despite the long wait for a race win continuing.

On Elliott's departure, Wolff said: "Mike has been one of the pillars of the team’s achievements over the past decade, and it’s with truly mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him.

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"Mike is a fiercely intelligent technical brain and a great team-player; he has made a strong contribution not just to winning racing cars but also to building the culture of our team. But on the other side, it’s clear that he’s ready for new adventures beyond Mercedes – so I know this is the right step for him to take, too."

Elliott is credited with developing a new technical strategy at Mercedes for the coming years and he has decided to take a short break, with his plans now in place.

Toto Wolff has paid tribute to the departing Elliott (Getty Images)

He said: "It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team. I have seen it grow from a group of people pulling together to win races, then a first championship, to winning a record eight consecutive constructors championships. – and I am proud to have made my contribution to that journey.

“Although the last two seasons have not seen us winning races in the manner we aspire to, they have tested us in many other ways – and forced us to question our fundamental assumptions about how we deliver performance. During the past six months, I have enjoyed developing the technical strategy that we hope can provide the foundations of the team’s next cycle of success.

“I have decided that now is the right time to make my next step beyond Mercedes – first to pause and take stock, after 23 years of working flat-out in this sport, and then to find my next challenge"

Liam Prenderville