Mercedes has announced technical director Bob Bell will leave the team and he will not be replaced.
The team confirmed Bell resigned his position last December “with the intention of pursuing new challenges outside the company”.
Bell joined Mercedes from Renault at the beginning of 2011.
Mercedes said their executive director of technical Paddy Lowe will take over Bell’s responsibilities.
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Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
14th April 2014, 14:11
Not too surprising. The term ‘too many cooks’ comes to mind with Mercedes, not that it’s going bad for them!
Osvaldas31 (@osvaldas31)
14th April 2014, 14:16
Just too many technical directors under the same roof. I wonder, whether he’ll quit F1 altogether or he’ll join another team, and which team needs him most (maybe Ferrari?).
Aimal (@aimalkhan)
14th April 2014, 14:20
Ferrari maybe?
Boomerang
14th April 2014, 14:23
Back to Enstone Bob, please!
trotter
14th April 2014, 14:29
He is on a fast track to McLaren. I think McLaren is on a hunt after being bled dry for the past decade. If you think about it, McLaren was the only team who didn’t make any high level technical hires, but instead always promoted from within. But even they don’t have an endless supply of talent, and I think they are now on a mission to get back experienced guys, to rebuild the core. Sort of a critical mass, around which they can start cultivating talent on a large scale again.
They have everything in place. They will have their #1 engine manufacturer behind them again, they will have a lot of money and they will need to add just few more pieces to start a new era.
Sven Örup
14th April 2014, 14:41
Back to McLaren with Alonso.
maarten.f1 (@)
14th April 2014, 14:51
Now that’s an interesting timing :)
Milky White
14th April 2014, 14:59
He’s going to Haas Racing Development (HRD)
US_Peter (@us_peter)
14th April 2014, 19:16
Fingers crossed.
testFB
14th April 2014, 15:00
Right at the same time than SD left Ferrari. Bob Bell worked with Alonso, there is a connection there
grat
14th April 2014, 23:09
Not really. Bell resigned 5 months ago (December, 2013).
money (@carlos-danger)
14th April 2014, 15:14
paddy lowe is just tying to grab more credit
JCost (@jcost)
14th April 2014, 16:56
Mercedes is unloading their kitchen…
Ferrari will have a look at him but he could well try something more edgy and join Haas F1 adventure.
Tayyib
14th April 2014, 18:16
Could he join Alonso at Ferrari, he was part of the Renault team that won 2 world championships. But I doubt it if he was to go to Ferrari he may not as much impact till 2016 and onwards possibly. Could see him going elsewhere to be the main man.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
15th April 2014, 0:50
The R25 and R26 designed by Bob Bell were the only cars that won the WCC since 1991 and neither Adiran Newey nor Ross Brawn were involved in their design
Mark in Florida
15th April 2014, 0:34
Mercedes has skimmed the cream and are getting rid of the rest. Some other team will scoop him up and he will do great. Even Mercedes castoffs are highly talented or they wouldn’t have been there in first place.
No1fan
15th April 2014, 19:54
sure hope Paddy Lowe doesn’t take credit for Ross Brawn and Bob Bell car
AlonsoSpeed
16th April 2014, 8:29
Haas Automotive aka US F1 Team. I don’t believe in coincidence in Formula 1 , its not that surprising .