Mercedes officially confirm Lowe exit

©Mercedes

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport has confirmed that following three and a half very succesful years, Paddy Lowe will be leaving.

The world championship outfit has announced that Lowe has now begun a period of gardening leave, the duration of which is still not known.

In the short term, the teams technical organisation will continue to operate under the leadership of senior directors Also Costa (Engineering Director), Mark Ellis (Performance Director), Rob Thomas (Chief Operating Officer) and Geoff Willis (Technology Director).

"Paddy has played an important part in our success during the past three and a half years and we thank him for his contribution to this significant chapter in Mercedes’ motorsport history," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

"Success in Formula One is not about single individuals but about the strength in depth and technical capability of an organisation.

"We have the talent in place to continue our success of recent years and we plan to build upon it in 2017 and beyond."

Paddy Lowe departs Mercedes F1 team - report

Outgoing Executive Director (Technical) of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Paddy Lowe commented:

"I have had a fantastically successful and enjoyable three and a half years at Mercedes working with an incredible team of people.

"I am now looking forward to a new challenge and wish everyone well at Mercedes."

It is expected that Lowe will join Williams although when will likely depend on ongoing negotiations between Mercedes and Williams, with Valtteri Bottas' move to the German squad as a backdrop.

It's also anticipated that Mercedes will hire former Ferrari tech boss James Allison to join its engineering staff.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.