LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Former Formula One world champions Mercedes announced the surprise departure of chief technical officer (CTO) Mike Elliott on Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison.
Elliott had been appointed technical director in July 2021, with Allison moving to the CTO role, but they switched positions last April after Mercedes made a slow start to the season following a difficult 2022.
Red Bull have won the last three drivers' titles with Max Verstappen as well as the 2022 and 2023 constructors' championships.
Mercedes said Elliott, who had been with the team for 11 years and through their record eight successive constructors' titles, had chosen to depart after developing a technical strategy for the future.
"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.
Persons:
Mercedes, Mike Elliott, James Allison, Elliott, Allison, Red Bull, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Bull's Sergio Perez, Mike, Toto Wolff, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis
Organizations:
Briton, Thomson