Toto Wolff and George Russell agree on Mercedes chief as exit rocks F1 team

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and F1 star George Russell have both talked up Mike Elliott’s outstanding ‘intelligence’, with the outgoing chief technical officer (CTO) calling time on his stint with the team ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Elliott played a significant role in a hugely successful period for the Silver Arrows, even though performances have dipped over the past two seasons.

The 49-year-old joined Mercedes as an aerodynamicist in 2012, working his way through the ranks before becoming CTO back in April. Two years after Elliott’s arrival, Wolff and co won their first of eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships.

A social media statement released on Tuesday evening confirmed that Elliott would leave the team with immediate effect and embark on a spell of gardening leave. Above all else, old and new comments from Russell and Wolff make clear the brilliant mind Mercedes are losing.

Speaking to Sky Sports back in April, shortly after Elliott took up the role of CTO by swapping positions with James Allison, Russell said: “Mike is one of, if not the most, intelligent blokes I’ve ever come across in my life.

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“But I think placing him in this new role will really put him in his element. When it comes to a team sport, it’s not just drivers, we’re managing, well Toto’s managing 2,000 people.

“Or if you talk about a football team you need to get your best players in the right positions to get the overall team result and effectively that’s what this change has been.”

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In Wolff’s tribute to Elliott, he described him as a ‘fiercely intelligent technical brain and a great team player’, adding: “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.”

Time will tell who Wolff turns to, to fill the void as Mercedes chase down an elusive Grand Prix win over the final three races of the 2023 season.

For all of Elliott’s success during his first few years with the Silver Arrows, his supervision of the infamous ‘zero sidepod’ design saw his stock decrease as Mercedes were forced to scrap the concept and move in a different direction.

The Cornwall-born engineer was known to be a key ally of Lewis Hamilton, having been part of the McLaren aerodynamics set-up during the seven-time world champion’s rookie F1 season.

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