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James Allison commits future to Mercedes as he signs long-term contract extension
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Mercedes Technical Director James Allison has signed a long-term contract extension, the news coming just days after Toto Wolff signed a new three-year deal with the Silver Arrows.
Allison joined Mercedes in 2017 as Technical Director, with the team going on to win four drivers’ titles and five constructors’ championship during that stint.
READ MORE: Wolff ready to ‘embrace the challenges’ after agreeing new Mercedes deal
He moved up to Chief Technical Officer four years later, focusing on longer term strategy for the F1 project and working on other projects outside the sport such as the INEOS Britannia America’s Cup team.
The 55-year-old returned to a more frontline role as Technical Director in April last year, swapping positions with Mike Elliott – and has now committed his future to the team (the exact duration of which has not been revealed by the team) ahead of a major rule change for 2026.
James Allison has been with Mercedes since 2017 when he joined as Technical Director for the first time
“F1 has brought me a lot of good fortune, but none greater than answering Toto’s call to join Mercedes in 2017,” said Allison. “It is a great privilege to continue this adventure, working alongside brilliant colleagues and fighting together for championship success.”
Wolff added: “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. His gladiator spirit, along with his knowledge, experience, and determination, make him second-to-none.
READ MORE: Doriane Pin joins Mercedes Junior Programme for 2024 F1 Academy campaign
“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 have endured a challenging couple of seasons and will hope a different technical direction bears fruit in 2024
Allison boasts a wealth of F1 experience beyond his championship-winning time at Mercedes, the Briton also picking up drivers’ and constructors’ championships at Renault and Ferrari in an illustrious career that began in the early-1990s and has marked him out as one of the greatest technical minds Formula 1 has ever seen.
Mercedes have endured a challenging couple of seasons, having secured just one victory in that period as they have been comfortably outperformed by rivals and reigning world champions Red Bull.
The Silver Arrows are this winter pursuing a different technical direction from one they debuted for the 2022 rules change in the hope they can return to winning ways. They will launch their 2024 machine on February 14.
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