F1: Mercedes announces surprise departure of technical officer Mike Elliott

Former Formula One world championsMercedesannounced the surprise departure of chieftechnicalofficer (CTO) MikeElliotton Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison. Elliotthad been appointedtechnicaldirector in July 2021, with Allison moving to the CTO role, but they switched positions last April afterMercedes made a slow start to the season following a difficult 2022.

Red Bull have won the last three drivers' titles with Max Verstappen as well as the 2022 and 2023 constructors' championships. Mercedesare second in the standings with three races remaining and have seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton chasing the runner-up spot behind Verstappen, with the Briton 20 points adrift of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

MercedessaidElliott, who had been with theteamfor 11 years and through their record eight successive constructors' titles, had chosen to depart after developing atechnical strategy for the future.

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"Mike has been one of the pillars of theteam’s achievements over the past decade," said co-owner and principal Toto Wolff in a statement. "And it’s with truly mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him today.

"Mike is a fiercely intelligenttechnicalbrain and a greatteam-player; he has made a strong contribution not just to winningracingcars but also to building the culture of ourteam. "But on the other side, it’s clear that he’s ready for new adventures beyondMercedes, so I know this is the right step for him to take, too."