Mercedes Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliott departs the Anglo-German team

Mercedes have announced that their Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliot has left his role with the team after having spent 11 years at the Anglo-German outfit.

Since joining McLaren as an aerodynamicist in 2000, Elliot has worked continuously in front-line roles in Formula One for 23 seasons. He worked as aerodynamicist and then as trackside aerodynamicist at Woking before joining Renault/Lotus as principle aerodynamicist in 2008.

He left Lotus in 2012 to join Mercedes as Head of Aerodynamics. Elliot was then promoted to Technology Director and he then took on the tole of the Technical Director in 2021, replacing James Allison.

Earlier this year, Elliot moved into the role of Chief Technical Officer to Brackley, focusing on developing a technical strategy to renew the team’s technical capability for the years ahead. The Brackley-based team has now confirmed that Elliot "has chosen to depart the team and begin the next chapter of his career beyond Mercedes."

Commenting on Elliot's departure, Team Principal Toto Wolff said: “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.

"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.”

“It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team,” explained Elliot. “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 team-mates for a fantastic 12 seasons together and wish them every success for the years to come," Elliot concluded.