Mercedes newcomer Paddy Lowe says no awkwardness with Ross Brawn
Paddy Lowe says there is no awkwardness between himself and Ross Brawn at Mercedes, even though he has arrived at the squad with long term plans to become its new team principal
The former McLaren technical director has been lined up as current boss Brawn's eventual successor, but in the interim has joined Mercedes as its executive director (technical).
Although making no secret of the fact that he feels ready to replace Brawn when the time is right, Lowe says he is fully focused on working with him right now.
"When I arrived on the Monday four weeks ago, the first person to greet me and spend an hour with a cup of coffee was Ross," said Lowe at the British Grand Prix on Friday, as he made his first appearance at an F1 race this year.
"He was genuinely delighted to see my arrival and get me stuck into the business. I think that will give you a sign that he is not threatened by my position.
"He is very happy that I joined the company. I am very happy to work with him. I have known and had huge respect for Ross for 20 or more years; although unfortunately normally he has been mostly beating the team I was with!"
Lowe said that no decision had been made yet on when Brawn would move on from his current role, and said he was happy to bide his time and work within the current infrastructure.
"Ross is team principal at the moment," explained Lowe. "We don't know how long he will want to remain team principal. Those plans are not made.
"I have come in to strengthen the team in its existing form, which I can do. There is a great deal to be done and I have already started to augment what we have got.
"What the future brings in terms of progression from there remains to be seen. It is not set or defined at the moment."
When asked by AUTOSPORT if he would feel ready to step up if Brawn decided to move aside as soon as the end of 2013, Lowe said: "I would be fine with that if that is how it turns out.
"I think I have got what it takes to take that on. We have got Toto [Wolff, Mercedes motorsport boss] as well, who is a great asset to the team.
"I actually really enjoy working with Toto. He has a very refreshing attitude. He is very good in the commercial space and he respects my ability in the technical space so we are already working well on that basis."
Pirelli says Mercedes test affair hasn't affected 2014 F1 commitment
The secret mechanic's diary: Mercedes escapes, but it's Silverstone next
Newgarden, McLaughlin to make IMSA debuts in Daytona 24 Hours
Team Penske IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin will make their IMSA SportsCar Championship debuts in the Daytona 24 Hours next month with LMP2 squad Tower Motorsports.
Ranking the top 10 WRC drivers of 2022
The World Rally Championship welcomed in a new hybrid era in 2022, presenting an unknown challenge to the planet's top rally aces. New records were broken, as Toyota's leading charge became the youngest-ever title-winner, while familiar returning faces mixed it up with the new generation. Autosport picks out the 10 best performers from the year
Ferrari says theories on tyre deg in F1 2022 were a 'misconception'
Ferrari thinks that theories its tyre degradation got worse over the Formula 1 season were a ‘misconception’.
Aston Martin: Alonso "very impressive" in Abu Dhabi F1 test debut
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack says double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso was “very impressive” in his recent first test for the team in Abu Dhabi last month.
The forgettable final car of a former F1 giant that gave Damon Hill his start
While it launched the F1 career of a future world champion, STUART CODLING recalls that the BT60 was also the final nail in the coffin of a once-great marque 30 years ago. Here is its story
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Autosport in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best of an F1 midfield star
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s team-mate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot