Mike Elliott, the man who oversaw the ‘zero sidepod’ car concept Mercedes ditched at the start of this Formula One season, has left the team.
Mercedes unveiled a radically different car to its rivals when the rules changed coming into 2022, a season which ended a run of eight straight championships.
The team stuck with the concept this year, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed after the first qualifying session of 2023 it was already looking to go in a different direction.
Earlier this year Elliott, then technical director, swapped jobs with chief technical officer James Allison.
Mercedes said at the time the job swap was Elliott “owning the process,” rather than a direct reaction to the unsuccessful design.
On Tuesday it was confirmed Elliott has left the team for good after 23 years.
Wolff paid tribute to his legacy at the team.
“Mike has been one of the pillars of the team’s achievements over the past decade,” Wolff said. “And it’s with truly mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him today. 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.”
Mercedes did not confirm Elliott’s next step, saying he has decided to take a break from the sport in the coming month.