Technical director Bob Bell to leave Mercedes

2014 F1 season

Posted on

| Written by

Mercedes has announced technical director Bob Bell will leave the team and he will not be replaced.

The team confirmed Bell resigned his position last December “with the intention of pursuing new challenges outside the company”.

Bell joined Mercedes from Renault at the beginning of 2011.

Mercedes said their executive director of technical Paddy Lowe will take over Bell’s responsibilities.

2014 F1 season


Browse all 2014 F1 season articles

Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

18 comments on “Technical director Bob Bell to leave Mercedes”

  1. Not too surprising. The term ‘too many cooks’ comes to mind with Mercedes, not that it’s going bad for them!

  2. Just too many technical directors under the same roof. I wonder, whether he’ll quit F1 altogether or he’ll join another team, and which team needs him most (maybe Ferrari?).

  3. Ferrari maybe?

  4. Back to Enstone Bob, please!

  5. He is on a fast track to McLaren. I think McLaren is on a hunt after being bled dry for the past decade. If you think about it, McLaren was the only team who didn’t make any high level technical hires, but instead always promoted from within. But even they don’t have an endless supply of talent, and I think they are now on a mission to get back experienced guys, to rebuild the core. Sort of a critical mass, around which they can start cultivating talent on a large scale again.
    They have everything in place. They will have their #1 engine manufacturer behind them again, they will have a lot of money and they will need to add just few more pieces to start a new era.

  6. Back to McLaren with Alonso.

  7. maarten.f1 (@)
    14th April 2014, 14:51

    Now that’s an interesting timing :)

  8. He’s going to Haas Racing Development (HRD)

    1. Fingers crossed.

  9. Right at the same time than SD left Ferrari. Bob Bell worked with Alonso, there is a connection there

    1. Not really. Bell resigned 5 months ago (December, 2013).

  10. money (@carlos-danger)
    14th April 2014, 15:14

    paddy lowe is just tying to grab more credit

  11. Mercedes is unloading their kitchen…

    Ferrari will have a look at him but he could well try something more edgy and join Haas F1 adventure.

  12. Could he join Alonso at Ferrari, he was part of the Renault team that won 2 world championships. But I doubt it if he was to go to Ferrari he may not as much impact till 2016 and onwards possibly. Could see him going elsewhere to be the main man.

    1. The R25 and R26 designed by Bob Bell were the only cars that won the WCC since 1991 and neither Adiran Newey nor Ross Brawn were involved in their design

  13. Mark in Florida
    15th April 2014, 0:34

    Mercedes has skimmed the cream and are getting rid of the rest. Some other team will scoop him up and he will do great. Even Mercedes castoffs are highly talented or they wouldn’t have been there in first place.

  14. sure hope Paddy Lowe doesn’t take credit for Ross Brawn and Bob Bell car

  15. Haas Automotive aka US F1 Team. I don’t believe in coincidence in Formula 1 , its not that surprising .

Comments are closed.