Wilhelm Mercedes before restructuring
07/12/2018
W Toto Wolff has probably had a few more in the last few months Abdominal pain more than just the increased resistance from Ferrari and Red Bull. Two of the most important heads in the engineering team had informed the Mercedes sports director a long time ago that they would no longer work as usual in 2019.
Aldo Costa withdraws
Wilhelm
As a consultant, Aldo Costa ensures a smooth transition even after his retirement.
For example, chief designer Aldo Costa decided to spend more time with the family in his Italian homeland. The 57-year-old joined the Silver Arrows team from Ferrari in 2011 and, together with Ross Brawn, played a fundamental role in the success story of the multiple world championship team. He will stay with the team as a technical advisor, especially to ensure stability in the transition phase, but gradually withdraw from day-to-day business.
He will be a direct successor with the same area of responsibility to not give. Instead, an internal restructuring of the so-called Engineering Group has been going on behind the scenes for several months. It will be headed in future by John Owen, who will thus have a larger area of responsibility. The 45-year-old, who has been with Mercedes since 2007, will take over most of Costa’s duties. According to Mercedes, the role is cut a little more focused.
Mark Ellis is taking a break
In addition to Aldo Costa's withdrawal, Mercedes will also have to do without Performance Director Mark Ellis from mid-2019. The 54-year-old has decided to take a sabbatical year. The British wasIn 2014 he moved from Red Bull to the development department in Brackley, where he continued his successes with his ex-team.
Ellis has already announced his intention to return to the Mercedes family after the break. But his position will first be assigned to a successor. Loic Serra, who previously held the role of Chief Aerodynamicist, has been appointed the new Performance Director with immediate effect. Ellis has promised to support his successor in the transition phase until the middle of next year. The overall management of the development remains with Technical Director James Allison.
Wolff promotes internal forces
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Toto Wolff has to keep his troop's ability to strike.
Toto Wolff tries in the Finding something positive for departures: “This is an important moment for our team and a great opportunity. We have said again and again that you cannot freeze a successful organization. It's a dynamic structure and I'm proud that we can smoothly hand over the baton to the next generation of executives from our team. '
' We have been talking to Mark and Aldo for many months about how the transition can best be shaped and their successors built. The two could not be more different as personalities, but both have respected this difference and their legacy with Mercedes will last for many years to come. '
As a farewell, Wolff paid his high-ranking employees one more respect:' Since my first days At Team 2013, Aldo and I, as European expats, often had dinner together in Oxford; Last year we had some great days together in the car at the Mille Miglia. Not only did I get to know an outstanding personality, but also someone from whom I was able to learn a lot - about Formula 1 and the humility that you need to be successful. '
' As Mark and When I got to know each other, we would never have dreamed of the success we achieved together in the following years. For me he is a sparring partner in the best sense of the wordof the word - and I will miss our hard but heartfelt discussions, which were shaped by our shared passion for the team and absolute will to win. Mark and Aldo have both helped shape both the timeframe and the nature of the changes ahead. The future of the team is shining brightly with John, Loic and the entire technical leadership team led by James. '
