The 52-year-old aerodynamicist, who has been with the staff since 2007 of their earlier guises as Honda after which Brawn, has been an integral a part of 9 constructors’ championships and eight drivers’ titles over the past 19 years.
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Whereas the 2026 automotive design has lengthy been within the works, with fine-tuning now the primary precedence with three testing home windows forward of the season-opener in Australia on 8 March, Owen’s exit nonetheless comes as a shock simply six weeks out from the brand new season.
The staff confirmed that the position shall be stuffed internally, with engineering director Giacomo Tortora changing into the staff’s new director of automotive design, with deputy technical director Simone Resta – previously of Ferrari – overseeing the group.
An announcement learn: “We will affirm that John Owen, our Director of Automobile Design, has determined that now’s the precise time to take a break from F1 and that he shall be leaving the staff later this 12 months to start a interval of gardening depart, after assuring the transition to his successor.
“John has been with our Brackley staff since 2007 and performed a substantial position in our success.
Mercedes F1 design chief John Owen will depart the staff later this 12 months (Mercedes Components 1 staff)
“He has been a key a part of 9 Constructors’ Championships throughout the time he has labored right here and this 12 months’s W17 marks the seventeenth automotive for which he has had general design duty.
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“We want John all the easiest for the long run and thank him for the appreciable position he has performed within the staff’s success.”
Mercedes will reveal the renders of this 12 months’s W17 automotive on Thursday, whereas their official 2026 season launch with drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli takes place on Monday 2 February.
All 11 groups will participate in a personal testing session in Barcelona subsequent week.
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