Mercedes AMG Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliott leaves British F1 team

BRACKLEY: Formula 1 team, Mercedes AMG Petronas have parted ways with their Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliott on Wednesday. Elliot had been part of the team for 11 years.

Elliott moved into the role six months ago, swapping positions with Technical Director James Allison. According to the Formula 1 website, the Silver Arrows said that Mike Elliott had "decided to take a break from the sport in the coming months, before deciding upon his next challenge".

"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," Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said as quoted by the F1 website.

"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," Toto added.

Mike Elliot in his departure statement said he was proud of the contribution made to the team.

"It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team. 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," Elliott said while leaving.

"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," he added.

Mercedes are currently second in the constructors' championship, 360 points behind leaders Red Bull Racing Hona RBPT, with three Grands Prix to go. The team have now focused on car for the 2024 season, with the Silver Arrows claiming that next year's machine will feature significant changes as they look to win the championship.