Andy Cowell resigns as boss of Mercedes F1 powertrains

[SpudLink]

“Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell to leave F1 champions”

https://www.skysports.com/amp/f1/news/12472/120073...

[Fundoreen]

Ferrari bound? . The french are too stuck up and japan is a long way away.

[belleair302]

He is moving onto something new within Mercedes, just not within F1.

[TheDeuce]

belleair302 said:

He is moving onto something new within Mercedes, just not within F1.

Maybe he's gone to get that project one car working...

[Chrisgr31]

belleair302 said:

He is moving onto something new within Mercedes, just not within F1.

Is he? The article says "will consult to Mercedes-Benz AG on a major future project until at least early 2021". Early 2021 isnt that far away.

[TheDeuce]

Chrisgr31 said:

belleair302 said:

He is moving onto something new within Mercedes, just not within F1.

Is he? The article says "will consult to Mercedes-Benz AG on a major future project until at least early 2021". Early 2021 isnt that far away.

True...

I guess that snippet was released to the press to underline the fact he's leaving, but not because he's fed up with Merc nor them him. Or maybe they want to kill any rumours in advance that he might be leaving something else he's working on for them...

I joked when I said it above.. But it actually might well be the Project One car which he's bound to be heavily involved in that he's hanging around to complete. The problems with that car are all engine related (so far as they say..) so it would kind of make sense. He also wouldn't be particularly employable elsewhere he left such a project unfinished at the 11th hour.

[Deesee]

He’s got some form, that BMW engine and the Merc hybrid..

Next engine regs are 2025/26?

If you wanted to create say a spec series... you’d get this guy and Newey...

[Doink]

"will consult to Mercedes-Benz AG on a major future project until at least early 2021"

The cynic in me thinks thats just a way of keeping Ferrari or Renault away from him for a year, tie him in down with a contract to a project that doesn't exist

[SpudLink]

The F1 powertrain is the top of the automotive tree, and he’s conquered that. Could it be he wants to try is hand at something else? Perhaps create his own aeronautical engineering consultancy? There must be companies looking into hybrid aeroplane engines who would pay well for his expertise.
Obviously I know nothing. Just thinking aloud.

[faa77]

According to Ted's notebook he actually resigned in January, so "until early 2021" is exactly a year and just a form of garden leave.

Ferrari have probably offered him mega bucks

[Angpozzuto]

faa77 said:

According to Ted's notebook he actually resigned in January, so "until early 2021" is exactly a year and just a form of garden leave.

Ferrari have probably offered him mega bucks

This was my first thought too, but even if he joins another F1 team in January it'll be too late for him to make any impact on the engine for the 2021 season

[thegreenhell]

I don't think there's a huge amount of development left in the current engines. They're quite mature now, and with increasing development freezes in the coming years there will only be marginal gains, so I doubt he could make a big impact anywhere else in this current era. However, the next big thing will be the new engine formula, due in 2026. The definition of the regulations for this will need to be decided in the next 1-2 years in order to allow the manufacturers enough time to develop the new units, so if he is going to a rival manufacturer then it's likely that will be his main focus.

[carinaman]

Uncle Joe Saward on Missed Apex says Racing Point at 51 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoGK4wwY7X8

[thegreenhell]

What happened to the ex-Ferrari F1 engine guys who were hired by Aston Martin a couple of years ago? Are they still there?