Mike Elliott left his place as Mercedes chief technical officer earlier this week with the group having claimed only one win over the past two season; watch the Sao Paulo GP Dash weekend dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 from Friday with qualifying at 6pm, Sunday’s race is at 5pm
Final Up to date: 02/11/23 7:55pm
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Lewis Hamilton says he’s ‘unhappy’ to see chief technical officer Mike Elliot depart Mercedes and liked working with him throughout the group.
Lewis Hamilton says he’s ‘unhappy’ to see chief technical officer Mike Elliot depart Mercedes and liked working with him throughout the group.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have defended former Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott, following his departure from the group forward of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Elliott’s exit after 11 years with the group was introduced on Tuesday, together with his resolution coming after he was changed as technical director in April, together with his predecessor James Allison returning to the position.
Elliott had taken over as technical director in 2021, however Mercedes’ pursuit of an unsuccessful design idea beneath the game’s new laws for 2022 noticed their eight-year streak of constructors’ titles emphatically ended by Pink Bull, who’ve as soon as extra dominated the 2023 season.
Hamilton appeared to criticise unnamed figures throughout the group in March this 12 months when complaining that he hadn’t been listened too concerning his issues over the design idea, however insisted on Thursday that no particular person was responsible for Mercedes’ struggles.
Mike Elliott has left Mercedes after 11 years with the group
“What we’ve to recollect is nothing is down to at least one particular person. We do all the pieces as a group,” Hamilton informed Sky Sports activities F1.
“There are such a lot of shifting elements on the manufacturing facility, so there’s not a single particular person answerable for the place we’re, it is a collective.”
Elliott, who started his F1 profession at McLaren in 2000 earlier than shifting to Renault in 2008, joined Mercedes in 2012 to develop into the Silver Arrows’ head of aerodynamics, holding the place till 2017 when he was made expertise director.
In 2014, 2015 and 2016, Mercedes had three of probably the most dominant seasons in F1 historical past, dropping simply eight races in that interval, with Hamilton claiming two of his seven world championships.
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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton relives his sensible eight victories on the British Grand Prix.
“I am positively unhappy to see Mike go,” Hamilton added. “I’ve recognized him since my McLaren days, earlier than I raced for McLaren (in F1) he was there. I’ve had an ideal relationship with Mike. I’ve liked working with him, inside this group. He is such an clever particular person.
“He was somebody I might at all times communicate to on aerodynamics. He was superb at explaining all the pieces to me, so I realized quite a bit from him.
“But it surely’s his resolution to maneuver on and do one thing completely different. I want him completely all the very best and I am tremendous grateful for all his contributions over these years. I do know no matter he will do subsequent, he will be nice as a result of he is a brilliant mind.”
Russell: Elliott a ‘large half’ of Mercedes success
Russell, who claimed Mercedes’ solely win throughout this season and final on the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, additionally insisted that the group’s underwhelming performances could not be put right down to a person.
Requested by Sky Sports activities F1 if Elliott was the defender of the 2022 and 2023 ideas that weren’t proper, Russell stated: “No. It was by no means one particular person who makes or breaks success.
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George Russell admits it has been a ‘actually difficult’ 12 months for him, however says Brazil holds a particular place in his coronary heart following his 2022 victory on the circuit.
“It is at all times a collective. You at all times have a pacesetter, somebody on the helm who steers the ship.
“We have now 5 exceptionally gifted designers and engineers who’re on the prime of the design group, then we’ve an incredible design workplace, aerodynamics division and racing…who comply with their lead.
“Because the saying goes ‘we win and lose collectively. Mike has been an enormous a part of the group and it is essential that we bear in mind he was the chief aerodynamicist throughout the entire glory years, and arguably, alongside the technical director, that’s the most important a part of each F1 group, so Mike has been an enormous a part of that success and I want him effectively.”
When to observe the Sao Paulo GP dwell solely on Sky Sports activities F1
Friday November 3
- 2pm: Sao Paulo GP Apply (session begins at 2.30pm)
- 5.30pm: Sao Paulo GP Qualifying build-up (additionally on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion)
6pm: Sao Paulo GP Qualifying (additionally on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion) - 8pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book
Saturday November 4
- 1.30pm: Dash Shootout build-up
- 2pm: Sao Paulo GP Dash Shootout
- 5.30pm: Dash build-up
- 6.30pm: SAO PAULO SPRINT
- 8pm: Ted’s Dash Pocket book
Sunday November 5
- 3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
- 5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
- 7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo GP response
- 8pm: Ted’s Pocket book
F1 heads straight to Brazil for the ultimate leg of the Americas triple header and the final Dash weekend of the 2023 season. Watch each session from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 from Friday, with Sunday’s race at 5pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW