Lewis Hamilton distances himself to Mercedes exit of director he was ‘in awe of’

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Lewis Hamilton has now stressed that he was not one of the reasons why Mike Elliott left his role at Mercedes having initially been moved aside for James Allison to return.

The Silver Arrows confirmed in October that Elliott had left the Brackley-based team after six months as their chief technical officer. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also stated that it was the 49-year-old’s decision to walk away after 11-and-a-half years with the constructor.

Elliott first joined Mercedes from Lotus in July 2012 to serve as the head of aerodynamics. It led him to further roles as the Silver Arrows’ technology director from 2017 to 2021 and the technical director from 2021 to 2023. He switched roles with Allison to be their CTO in April.

Mercedes stressed that Elliott left on his own decision

Mercedes opted to switch Allison back to his previous role as the technical director after the team accepted they faced a second challenging season. Elliott held overall responsibility for the design of the car in the role. But Mercedes won once in 2022 and were winless in 2023.

Wolff endorsed their switch of positions but Mercedes stressed that Elliott instigated Allison returning as the technical director. He oversaw a strategic review of their technical structure after opening the 2023 season uncompetitively having stuck with their no-sidepod concept.

Hamilton opens up on Elliott’s decision to leave Mercedes

Seven-time Formula 1 champion, Hamilton, has now stressed that he had zero role in Elliott ultimately leaving Mercedes in October. The 38-year-old believes it is ‘important’ for people to know that he did not get a say in the decision. He was also a huge believer in Elliott’s skill.

“It’s important for people to know that I wasn’t part of Mike’s departure,” Hamilton has told BBC Sport. “I’ve known Mike since I was at McLaren. I had a great relationship with Mike.

“I was always in awe of him because he’s so smart and I was learning so much from him. When I asked him about the car, there was nothing I could ever ask him that he didn’t have an answer for.

“It’s always difficult for someone in his position. It often falls on them but it’s collective, it’s not just one person. Unfortunately, there are people that maybe from the outside would be like, ‘It’s one person’s fault.’”

Elliott joined McLaren in August 2000 and stayed at the Woking squad through to November 2008 when he joined Lotus. He spent those eight years as their team leader for aerodynamic performance. While Hamilton first joined McLaren’s young driver programme in April 1998.

Hamilton signed for McLaren’s driver academy as a 13-year-old and later broke into F1 with them in 2007. The Briton would also win the 2008 drivers’ championship with McLaren, still the team’s most recent title. He left McLaren for Mercedes in 2013 and reunited with Elliott.