Mercedes’ CTO Elliott leaves team after 11 years

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott has left the team after 11 years.

Elliott joined Mercedes in 2012 and was initially head of aerodynamics before progressing to technology director and then technical director, a role he held until a job swap with James Allison earlier this year saw him become CTO. Mercedes has won just one race since the latest era of car was introduced at the start of 2022, but team principal Toto Wolff says his impact was felt beyond car design.

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“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 today,” Wolff said. “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. He leaves the team today 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.”

The announcement states Elliott has made the choice to leave now that he has put a plan in place for the team’s technical strategy moving forward, and he says he will take a break from F1 for a spell before deciding on his next move.

“It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team,” Elliott said. “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.

“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 teammates for a fantastic 12 seasons together and wish them every success for the years to come.”