Mercedes technical director James Allison has extended his contract in an effort to help the team get back to the top.
Mercedes F1 team has confirmed that technical director James Allison has signed a long-term contract extension with the Brackley squad.
Allison’s decision to remain with Mercedes F1 is definitely significant given the team’s aspirations to get back to winning after two dismal seasons in which the former championship-winning team managed just one victory in 44 races.
Allison joined Mercedes in 2017 during the Silver Arrows team’s extended run of success. Star driver Lewis Hamilton set a record by winning four of his seven Formula 1 titles in a row from 2017 to 2020 thanks to Allison’s technical know-how.
Mercedes also won the constructors’ title from 2017 to 2021 before Red Bull ended up becoming the leading team in F1 following Max Verstappen’s dominance over the two previous seasons. Meanwhile, Allison stepped away from the team’s engineering department in July 2021, with Mike Elliott taking over his role.
Mercedes F1 won just one race in 2022 thanks to George Russell and none last year while Hamilton’s record 103 victories came to a stop in Saudi Arabia after the penultimate race of the 2021 season.
Mercedes acknowledged that its car design was absolutely flawed in 2022, when it was more susceptible to the porpoising effect than the majority of cars while 2023 proved to be just as frustrating for Hamilton and Russell.
The serious aerodynamic problems Mercedes had with its first new-generation ‘ground effect’ chassis, which persisted into the 2023 season, prompted the team’s executive leadership to give Allison a bigger say in the development of its struggling F1 car.
As a result, Allison and Elliot practically switched roles last season, with the former heading the team’s engineering division once again.
“F1 has brought me a lot of good fortune, but none greater than answering Toto’s call to join Mercedes in 2017,” Allison commented on his contract extension. “It is a great privilege to continue this adventure, working alongside brilliant colleagues and fighting together for championship success.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was also excited to remain with the most remarkable technical director in F1.
“I am thrilled that James has committed his long-term future to the team. Put simply, he is the most impressive technical leader in our sport,” Wolff said. “His gladiator spirit, along with his knowledge, experience, and determination, make him second-to-none. His influence and impact, however, goes so much further than that.
“Since joining in 2017, he has been a key ally and sparring partner for me personally. We can challenge each other openly and honestly; an embodiment of the ‘tough love’ culture of the team that is vital in helping us all perform at our very best.
“Most importantly though, James is a true friend you can rely on, not only in times of success but in difficult moments too.It has been a pleasure to work with him over the past seven years and I look forward to doing so for many more to come.”
Mercedes has shown confidence for the 2024 season, with the W15 set to debut digitally from Silverstone on February 14. However, the team will be aware of the amount of work still to be done when pre-season testing gets underway in Bahrain on February 21.
