Mercedes suffered a major loss ahead of the Brazilian GP after Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliott left the team after 11 years of service. With speculations suggesting that Elliott’s departure was a result of the poor performances by Mercedes, as per a recent report by F1Maximaal, Toto Wolff has denied all such claims.
Elliott was the brain behind the zero sidepod design that Mercedes adopted at the start of the 2023 season. However, the innovative design did not really perform as expected and rumors suggest that this is the main reason why Elliott decided to quit the team.
However, Toto Wolff explained that only one person cannot be blamed for the failed design idea as it was a decision approved by the whole team. The Austrian team principal made it very clear and said, “There is no connection with Mike’s departure.”
Wolff showered Elliott with praise and explained that he was the best employee that Wolff had worked with, especially in terms of performance. The Mercedes team principal admitted that the team would miss one of the smartest men on the grid.
However, Wolff also explained, “It took its toll on him during these years and I think it’s very remarkable that after so many years someone can say: You know, I need to do something different.” With its hectic schedule and immense pressure, F1 can surely take a toll on the people involved in the sport.
Toto Wolff needs to find a replacement soon
Mike Elliott started his F1 career working as part of the McLaren F1 team from 2000 to 2008. He then had a short stint at Renault following which, Elliott joined Mercedes in 2012 as the head of the Aerodynamics department.
The British engineer made his way up the ranks and in 2021 replaced James Allison as the Technical Director of the team. However, in 2023, Allison was reinstated in his role, and Elliott became the Chief Technical Officer of the Brackley outfit, a post that he would hold until his departure from the team.
As of now, one of the main headaches for Toto Wolff would be finding a capable enough replacement for Elliott. It would be an important step towards ensuring that Mercedes make their back to the top of F1.
