After being placed on gardening leave by McLaren back in February, Paddy Lowe will get to put down the spade and begin work with Mercedes next month.
51-year-old Paddy Lowe had been McLaren Technical Director until rumours linked him with a move to Mercedes for the start of 2014.
Contracted to McLaren for the remainder of 2013, McLaren opted to remove him from the team to prevent Lowe taking their secrets across to a main competitor.
2014 is such a big season for Formula One with various changes in regulations regarding engines with 1.6-litre turbo-charged V6 engines with energy recovery systems replacing the current 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8s. Any information Lowe could take from McLaren to Mercedes could have proved invaluable, so it had looked like Lowe would sit out the remainder of his contract.
Tim Goss who had been with McLaren since 1990 who was working as the teams Director of Engineering was promoted to take Lowe’s role as Technical Director.
While Mercedes refused to confirm that Lowe would be joining the team.
Mercedes reshuffle continued at pace, Norbert Haug stood down as their motorsport boss at the start of the year whilst Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes Nick Fry also recently departed.
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has also reportedly been on the brink of leaving the team, but thus far he has avoided the chop appearing to resolve an early season power struggle with non-executive chairman Niki Lauda.
McLaren and Mercedes have now come to a mutual agreement to allow Lowe to join the teams six-months earlier than originally scheduled. This deal comes just days after the announcement that McLaren would be severing ties with Mercedes from 2015 onwards following their switch to Honda engines.
With the paperwork now in place Lowe will join the team on June 3rd ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and the team have been quick to clarify Lowe’s role within the team.
Paddy will strengthen Mercedes AMG Petronas in the role of Executive Director (Technical) and will work closely with: Team Principal, Ross Brawn; Executive Director (Business), Toto Wolff; and the team?s senior technical management. As Team Principal, Ross Brawn will retain overall responsibility for technical and sporting matters. a Mercedes statement read on mercedes-amg-f1.com.
Many experts in the paddock believe that Mercedes could well have one to many chefs in the team with the addition of Lowe and Brawn could once again find himself in front of the chopping block.
However for now the Team Principal was pleased to tow the party line and push forward the need for the team to have strength in depth while the new regulations come into force: ?I am delighted to welcome Paddy to the team and to begin working together. He has an excellent record of success in the sport and would be an asset to any of our rivals in the pit lane. It is no secret that every team is facing a significant balancing act between this year and next.
‘But it is perhaps less obvious that we will also see major changes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, as development progresses with the new generation of car design and Power Unit. To deliver in these circumstances, a successful team needs strength in depth. Paddy?s arrival will further strengthen our organisation and puts us in a strong position for the future.?
Paddy Lowe commented: ?I am excited to become part of a highly talented and capable technical organisation. The team has already produced probably the fastest car of the 2013 season while the technical challenges of the new regulations for 2014 will give us the opportunity to maximise the synergies available to a works manufacturer.
‘That is a challenge I am relishing. I have worked closely with Mercedes-Benz for almost 20 years and deeply admire the company?s phenomenal commitment to Formula One. I look forward to much success together in the years ahead.?
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