Ross Brawn will be missed by Mercedes
When the F1 season kicks off in Melbourne, Australia on March 16, Mercedes will have to manage without Ross Brawn. The retirement of the Englishman raises concerns, according to Executive Director Toto Wolff interviewed by Autosport.
Filling the void. That is the mission assigned to Toto Wolff. To do this, he will be supported by technical director Paddy Lowe at Mercedes, following Ross Brawn’s departure at the end of last season. For now, the English team based in Brackley is doing well, with rather convincing performances from Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during the Jerez private tests last week. The question remains whether the current good form and reliability of the Mercedes W05 will continue. To the point of propelling Mercedes to the rank of favorite?
The recent absence of Brawn, among others, tempers this judgment: “Of course we will miss him,” admits Wolff. “He was a leader and we will realize the void he has left during the races. His leadership qualities were extraordinary.”
Paddy Lowe, a defector from McLaren in 2013, prioritizes a good relationship with Wolff to ensure Mercedes has a successful season: “We form a good partnership without dividing the tasks to be accomplished,” reveals Lowe. “We work together in all areas, even if Toto focuses more on the commercial side and I on the technical side. Thus, my role within the team will not differ much from the one Ross held in previous years. It’s very exciting to look forward to this season and the ones to come.”
Mercedes hopes to do better than last season, which saw Rosberg win in Monaco and then at Silverstone, and Hamilton in Hungary. The British driver finished the 2013 season just off the podium (4th), while his German teammate settled for sixth place in the drivers’ standings. The English team finished second in the constructors’ standings, behind the untouchable Red Bull.
