Lowe to start Williams role in March - reports

Former Mercedes executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe will start working in his new senior role at Williams on March 1, while also becoming a shareholder in the British team, per multiple reports.

Lowe is currently on gardening leave after he left the German manufacturer in the wake of three consecutive championship-winning seasons in the latest 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged era.

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The 54-year-old has been tipped for a return to the Grove-based outfit for several weeks, with previous reports saying he would not merely replace outgoing technical director Pat Symonds but take up a more senior position.

Autosport now reports that Lowe will join Williams’ main board of directors “alongside deputy team principal Claire Williams, group CEO Mike O'Driscoll and non-executive chairman Nick Rose”.

The story adds that Lowe has purchased a stake in the team where he began his F1 career in the late 1980s. He is expected to begin in his new capacity on March 1.

Lowe's return will be welcome news for Williams, which slipped down to fifth in the 2016 Constructors’ championship after finishing third in the previous two campaigns.

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