Mike Elliott leaving role as Mercedes' chief technical officer
Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott has been with the team since 2012; Elliott was involved in a job swap earlier this year with James Allison, moving from the position of technical director; watch this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 1 November 2023 10:48, UK
Mike Elliott is leaving his post as Mercedes chief technical officer, the Brackley-based outfit have confirmed.
Elliott had already been involved in a reshuffle which was confirmed ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April, swapping positions with now-technical director James Allison.
But the 49-year-old, who had been with Mercedes since 2012, will now depart altogether with the team continuing to endure a difficult 2023 season which has seen them score just seven podium finishes and no race wins so far.
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Elliott said: "It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team.
"During my time, 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.
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"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.
"I would like to thank my team-mates for a fantastic 12 seasons together and wish them every success for the years to come."
Wolff: Elliott is a fiercely intelligent technical brain
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff added: "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.
"He 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.
"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.
"He leaves with our thanks for the effort, commitment, and expertise he has brought to the team over the past 11 years - and our very best wishes for the future."
Elliott joined Mercedes from Renault as head of aerodynamics, and then succeeded Geoff Willis as technology director in 2017.
Two years ago, he moved into the technical director role after Allison stepped up to what was then the newly created position of chief technical officer.
However, the pair swapped jobs earlier this year after Elliott concluded his skills were not best suited to the technical director role.
"Mike has led a review of our technical organisation to ensure we have the right structure to deliver sustainable success in the future," a Mercedes spokesperson told Sky Sports News at the time.
"We are focused on building the best racing car - and building the best team to develop that car, with everybody playing to their greatest strengths in the organisation."
Mercedes are currently second in the Constructors' Championship, trailing rivals Red Bull by 360 points heading into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is the best placed of their drivers in the Drivers' Championship in third, 20 points behind second-placed Red Bull pilot Sergio Perez, while George Russell is eighth.
F1 heads straight to Brazil for the final leg of the Americas triple header and the last Sprint weekend of the 2023 season. Watch every session from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday, with Sunday's race at 5pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW.
