Toto Wolff has praised outgoing technical staff Aldo Costa & Mark Ellis, as both signify their intentions to move on from Mercedes.

Mercedes have announced a change of team structure in their technical departments, with Aldo Costa & Mark Ellis choosing to move on – Costa to a technical advisory role, and Ellis to a full F1 sabbatical. Both were instrumental in the design of the World Championship Mercedes cars of 2014 to 2017.

“This is a significant moment for our Team and a great opportunity.” said Toto Wolff after announcing the replacements for both men. John Owen & Loic Serra replace them in their current roles.

“We have said many times that you cannot freeze a successful organisation; it is a dynamic structure and I am proud that we are able to hand the baton smoothly to the next generation of leaders inside the team. We have been in discussion for many months with both Mark and Aldo about how best to implement this transition and to empower their successors. They could not be more different personalities but they have both respected that difference and their legacy with Mercedes will stand test of time.”

Aldo Costa joined Mercedes from Ferrari in 2011, having been with them since 1995. He was with Minardi before joining Ferrari. Wolff paid tribute to the work done by Costa during his time at Mercedes: “Since the early days of 2013, Aldo and I have shared many dinners in Oxford as fellow European exiles, as well as some amazing days in the car at the Mille Miglia last year. I have got to know not just an outstanding individual but also somebody who has taught me so much about Formula One and the humility it takes in order to be successful.”

Ellis, outgoing Performance Director, joined Mercedes from Red Bull Racing at the end of Sebastian Vettel’s championship streak, having been with them since 2008. Prior to that he worked with BAR & Jaguar. Wolff also took the opportunity to publicly thank Ellis for his part in Mercs’ World Championships: “With Mark, when we first met we could never have imagined the success we would achieve together. He has been a sparring partner in the truest sense of the word – and I will miss our ‘tough love’ discussions with their shared passion for our Team and driven by the ultimate will to win. Mark and Aldo have both helped to shape the timing and manner of these changes, and the Team’s future is very bright with John, Loic and our entire technical leadership working under James’ direction.”