07 November 2023 , 17:54
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Mercedes face a major challenge going forward after another key member of the management "dream team" left.
That's the view of experienced Formula 1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz. He was musing over the future of the Mercedes team as he spoke on his Sky Sports Ted's Notebook programme at the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend.
Prior to the Sao Paulo race, it was announced that Mike Elliott had left after 11 years with Mercedes. It came a little over six months after a job swap which saw James Allison take over the technical director role in the midst of the team's relative lack of competitiveness over the last two seasons.
Reflecting on that development, Kravitz questioned what impact it may have on the leadership of the team going forward. "It's the first race since the departure of their chief technical officer Mike Elliott, who was instrumental in so much of their success, even though he was in charge of the design group which got these last two cars so wrong," he said.
"I ask myself, is the Mercedes dream team changing fundamentally now in a way that they can quickly bounce back and become that dream team again? James Allison is still there, Toto Wolff is still there, Andrew Shovlin is still there, but there has been some key departures – Andy Cowell, James Vowles, [Aldo Costa] the Italian engineer.
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"And I'm just wondering, like all dream teams change, whether there is some transformation about this team, and whether they're going through a bit of a change and whether that dream team ethic and quality can survive next year? Lewis Hamilton believes they can, so I think we have to believe they can as well, but that's going to be a challenge going forward."
Reacting to Elliott's departure, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell dismissed the suggestion that he had paid the price for Mercedes' struggles over the last two years. "What we have to remember is nothing is down to one person. We do everything as a team," said the seven-time world champion.
"There are so many moving parts at the factory, so there's not a single individual responsible for where we are, it's a collective. I'm definitely sad to see Mike go. I have known him since myMcLarendays... Before I raced for McLaren [in F1], he was there. I have had a great relationship with Mike. I've loved working with him, within this team. He's such an intelligent individual.
" He was someone I would always speak to on aerodynamics. He was amazing at explaining everything to me, so I learned a lot from him. But it's his decision to move on and do something different. I wish him absolutely all the best and I'm super grateful for all his contributions over these years. I know whatever he's going to do next, he's going to be great because he's a super brain."
And Russell added: "Mike has been a huge part of the team and it's very important to remember that he was the chief aerodynamicist during all of the glory years, and arguably that is, alongside the technical director, that is probably the most vital part of every Formula 1 team. So Mike has been a huge part of that success and I wish him well."