There’s no “I” in “team,” they say, but when it comes to Mercedes’ dominance of Formula One these past few years, one man has arguably played a more pivotal role than most. That’s Paddy Lowe, the team’s brilliant chief engineer. And he’s on his way out.
Following much speculation, Mercedes-AMG Petronas confirmed that Lowe will be leaving the team with immediate effect. His departure will leave a gaping hole in the team’s technical department – one which team principal Toto Wolff and chairman Niki Lauda will struggle to fill.
Born in Kenya of British extraction, Lowe has worked in Formula One since 1987 – starting out at Williams, where he designed the groundbreaking active suspension that helped Nigel Mansell win the championship in ’92. He switched to McLaren the following year, moving his way up the ladder to become the team’s engineering director, helping Lewis Hamilton win the title in 2008.
He moved together with Hamilton in 2013 to Mercedes, where he spearheaded development of the chassis, engine, and technologies that have seen the team win the championship the past three years running.
Mercedes didn’t say where he’s heading next, but speculation has been rampant that he’ll be heading to Williams (where he started his career) as part of the ongoing back-and-forth between the two teams. Williams (where Wolff previously served as executive director) uses Mercedes engines. Williams’ longtime technical director Pat Symonds recently stepped down – ostensibly to make way for Lowe. And Valtteri Bottas is widely expected to be switching from Williams to Nico Rosberg‘s seat at Mercedes… an arrangement that may have been facilitated by Mercedes releasing Lowe from his contract early.
It’s a bit of a gamble for both teams as they each shake up the order of things for the coming seasons, losing their best drivers and chief engineers. And it’s just the kind of thing that could spell the end of a dynasty – even if it takes a couple more years to happen.
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