A recent shakeup at Mercedes and the future of team reserve Mick Schumacher have sparked speculation and intriguing theories in the Formula 1 world. The departure of Mercedes’ technical chief, Mike Elliott, has been a subject of much discussion, with some attempting to link it to the team’s experimental ‘no sidepods’ car concept. However, Team Principal Toto Wolff has dismissed any connection between Elliott’s departure and the car’s design issues.
“We put lots of plasters on the car in order to be more competitive, like we see now, but that hasn’t got any correlation (with Elliott’s departure),” Wolff stated, attempting to separate the technical challenges from Elliott’s decision to leave.
Franck Montagny, a former F1 driver, offers a different perspective. Speaking to Canal Plus, Montagny suggested that Elliott’s departure might be intertwined with Wolff’s apparent plans for Schumacher. “We know that he really wants to put Schumacher in a car, and we know that Schumacher might race for Alpine in the WEC,” he observed. Montagny went further to speculate on a potential deal brewing between Mercedes and Alpine, a move that could see Elliott and Schumacher both heading to Alpine. “I have a feeling that a deal will take place between the two teams. I would put my money on Elliot arriving at Alpine, taking Schumacher with him,” he added.
As for Elliott, he has been tight-lipped about his next career move, merely noting that he intends to “take stock and then find my next challenge.”