Mercedes-Benz

MERCEDES chief technical officer Mike Elliott has announced his resignation with immediate effect.Elliott, 49, has left the team after 11 years in wake of the eight-time champions’ failure to win a race this season.
Lewis Hamilton’s long term colleague has vacated his roleCredit: Splash
Mike Elliott spent 11 years with MercedesCredit: 2022 Getty Images
Elliott’s surprise departure comes just six months after swapping his role, and moving back to his previous factory-based position in Brackley.
He was working for McLaren as an aerodynamicist when Hamilton entered Formula One in 2007.
Together, they won Hamilton’s first world championship in 2008.
The Englishman then joined Mercedes as head of aerodynamics in 2012 following a spell with Renault/Lotus.
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He was a central figure in their eight consecutive constructors’ championship wins from 2014-2022.
The team also won seven consecutive drivers’ titles from 2014-2021, six with Lewis Hamilton and one with Nico Rosberg.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said Elliott’s exit was his own decision.
Elliott told staff on Monday evening and is now expected to serve a period of gardening leave before he decides what is next for his career.
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He said: “It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team.
“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.”
Elliott’s promotion to technical director in July 2021 – in preparation for the 2022 season, for which F1 introduced its biggest regulation changes for 40 years – was not a success.
James Allison had been director since 2017, and the change was met with scepticism within the F1 paddock.
The team chose a radical design philosophy which became known as the “zero-sidepod” concept, which has seen Mercedes’ supremacy plummet.
It was very different from that employed by Red Bull, who have gone on to dominate the last two seasons.
Mercedes won only one race in 2022, with George Russell in Brazil, and have failed to repeat that success this year.
There are three races remaining, starting in Brazil on Sunday.
Hamilton won his first world championship at McLaren in 2008Credit: PA More

LEWIS HAMILTON says the decision to strip him of second place in last Sunday’s US GP has “tainted” the sport.The seven-time world champion felt that all the good progress F1 has made to crack the States was partially undone following the confusing ruling hours after the chequered flag in Austin.
Lewis Hamilton was left dismayed by the FIA’s rulingCredit: Rex
Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc were disqualified after measurements on the skid blocks under their cars exceeded the maximum wear limit.
The sport’s governing body, the FIA checked only four cars and two failed the test, earning an instant disqualification, much to the confusion of fans across the globe.
Hamilton said: “The sport really had such an amazing weekend, such a great turnout and great race and then everytime we step forward with the sport, something like that really taints it.
“So going forward, we really need to do something and hopefully they will learn in the future.
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“Rather than checking everybody and over 50 per cent of the cars failing – and I would have put all my money on it – maybe we could change the skid or the floor on the Saturday night so you don’t have this ridiculous event afterwards.”
Hamilton claims the skidblocks, used to keep the cars off the ground – and provide the sparks on TV, have little if any performance.
He added: “There are far more drivers’ cars that were illegal and the skid block is not a performance element.
“Of course if you have a flat surface, everyone is going to go as low as possible, it is just that some cars handle the bumps better than others.
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“We have had a very stiff and bumpy car for two years and ultimately it failed the regulation.
“It was just terrible over the kerbs, if we would have raised the car it would have passed the test.”
Hamilton team-mate George Russell added: “We did all of the standard checks after FP1 and the plank looked absolutely fine.
“So there was no reason after the practice session to make any changes, but obviously, we got that very wrong.”
Lando Norris, who was promoted to second place in lieu of Hamilton’s disqualification, felt the FIA should have checked all the cars.
Norris’ McLaren DID pass the same check as Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars, and said: “They should have done [the whole grid]. It can always bite you one day.
“It’s unlikely that two cars are that different. So if one car is illegal, then there is a high chance that the other car is.”
Lando Norris was promoted to P2 after Hamilton’s disqualificationCredit: Splash More

LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed just how much he’s got left in the tank as he discussed his retirement. The British Formula One superstar told the crowd at the United States Grand Prix when he was thinking of stepping away from the track.
Lewis Hamilton has revealed when he will retire while speaking to crowds in Austin ahead of the United States GPCredit: The Mega Agency
Hamilton was speaking in Austin ahead of this evening’s race when he began discussing life after F1.
He said: “What happens after racing? After your career, you know?
“Because you spend so much time focusing on your career to be the best you can be, most often you haven’t prepared for what’s after. But it’s okay – I’m ready.”
Fans listening in began to react in shock after they thought that Hamilton had said he was ready to move on from the sport.
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But the 38-year-old was quick to correct himself and ensure them he’s sticking around for a few more years.
“Well I’m not ready, but like I’m ready [prepared]! I think I’ve got another five years left in me,” he explained.
F1 fanatics in the crowd went wild at the admission from the star and were overjoyed with the idea of seeing Hamilton race well into his 40s.
The Mercedes driver began life on the F1 track back in 2008 and has been one of the sport’s greatest names ever since.
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He has won seven World Championships, a feat only matched by the great Michael Schumacher, and seems as if he is keen to get hold of that elusive eighth.
But for now he must focus on trying to snatch second place in this years’ standings off Sergio Perez after Max Verstappen wrapped up his third consecutive title in Qatar.
Hamilton is currently third in the Formula One standingsCredit: Alamy
Max Verstappen can put his feet up after winning the World Championship with FIVE Grand Prix’s still to comeCredit: The Mega Agency More

FORMULA ONE drivers are furious they could now be fined up to a million euros for breaking the sport’s rules after the FIA QUADRUPLED their maximum punishment.The ruling came into effect after a World Motorsport Council meeting in Geneva on Thursday – led by FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Lewis Hamilton says he’d only pay a big fine if it went to a good causeCredit: Rex
Hamilton was fined heavily after an early smash with George RussellCredit: Rex
It comes after a series of punishments were dished out to drivers in the Qatar Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton was slapped with a €50,000 fine (43.5k), of which half was suspended, for crossing the live race track following his first-lap smash with Mercedes teammate George Russell.
And the seven-time world champion was stunned to learn of the new maximum penalty that picky stewards could now dish out.
And he says he will REFUSE to pay it unless it goes towards a good cause.
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He said: “We do need to be thinking about the message that sends out to those watching. If they are going to be fined a million, let’s make sure 100 percent goes to a good cause.
“It is a lot of money in this industry and there is a lot more we need to do in terms of creating better accessibility and diversity, that’s the only way they’ll get that million from me.”
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc added: “It’s a huge amount of money. I have no idea what deserves a 1m euros penalty, some drivers are making less than that.”
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen said it was “ridiculous” and AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo labelled it “scary.”
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Meanwhile, Russell who is director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association was stunned to learn of the news via a question in the press conference ahead of the US Grand Prix.
The FIA had not consulted drivers that the maximum penalty was being raised from €250,000 and there is now a fear they will start hitting them in their wallets.
He said: “I think it’s pretty ridiculous that a driver could be fined a million Euros.
“In my first year in F1, I was on a five-figure salary and actually lost over six figures in that first year paying for a trainer, flights, an assistant and that’s probably the case for 25 percent of the grid.
“We are doing what we love, so not complaining about that but if you fine him a million, I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“We’ve requested before from FIA to hear where these fines are going towards, what causes. It needs to be invested in grassroots but so far had no response on where that’s going.
“I would love to get some clarity and transparency, if they truly believe a million fine is worthwhile and going to reinvest into sport, then maybe one of the drivers who earns a lot is happy to pay that, but it seems obscene.
“We just want transparency and understanding. I think already the fines are getting out of control.
“Max Verstappen was fined €50,000 for touching a car in Brazil, Lewis being fined €50,000…it feels like these numbers are being plucked out of the air.
“There’s a lot greater global issues going on and so much poverty around the world how can a federation make up these fines?
For me, it sounds obscene and there needs to be a lot more transparency about where these fines are going.George Russell
“I don’t know what you have to do to get a fine of million euros, I don’t know of any sport or profession outside of the corporate world where you can be fined that amount.
“For me, it sounds obscene and there needs to be a lot more transparency about where these fines are going.
“There needs to be a much better dialogue between FIA and drivers.”
The FIA point out that while the previous limit was €250,000, no offence had been deemed worthy of issuing the maximum penalty.
Meanwhile, Hamilton says that he does not believe he is being singled out by the penalty he picked up in Qatar.
Hamilton has also recently been the subject of a jewellery ban by the FIA, which had resulted in him being granted a medical exception for a nose stud.
However, there was some confusion that the FIA would re-open their investigation into walking across the track following a clunky-worded statement.
He added: “No, I don’t think I was singled out. Ultimately it was poor communication, I don’t think what the FIA said is what they meant.
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“I think they are going to look into how they can tackle those things [crossing a track] moving forwards, so those things don’t happen.
“We need to make sure we are continuously focusing on safety, the FIA just need to speak to their PR agent to do a better job.” More