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Wolff insists Allison remains “very important” for Mercedes

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After a disappointing start to life with the limited W14 machine (the successor to the Dolphin’s 2022 car), there has been speculation that Allison has resumed a more hands-on role at Brackley.

The former Lotus and Ferrari technical chief joined Mercedes in 2017, and after four years at the helm of the design department, he stepped down from his day job to take on the more prominent role of chief technical officer.

This adjusted role allows Allison to allocate time to other projects such as team co-owner INEOS’ involvement in the America’s Cup. Wolff clarified that the arrangement had not changed in light of the eight-time constructors’ champion’s recent decline.

Asked in an exclusive interview with Autosport whether Allison had an active role in updating the W14, Wolff said: “No, he’s not really involved.

“He’s involved in the team’s long-term strategy. But he’s involved in more events, like the Copa America.”

Faced with the suggestion that the team might want to parachute Allison to assist his successor, Mike Elliott, Wolff continued: “There’s not always just one person in the organization.

“But you need to find the right person for the right role. Sometimes that can mean you are very capable in a certain area, but maybe not well-rounded.

“James, of course, has a great track record as a past technical director and is a man of the people. He’s a man who is still very important to the organization.”

James Allison, Technical Director, Mercedes-AMG

James Allison, Technical Director, Mercedes-AMG

Photography: Steve Etherington/ motorsport pictures

The Mercedes technical team has been subject to a steady flow of personnel throughout its title-winning splendor.

Notably, Allison’s predecessor Paddy Lowe left the Williams team, while former chief aerodynamicist Eric Blandin switched to an in-form Aston Martin for 2021.

Likewise, engineering director (and later team advisor) Aldo Costa left Mercedes at the start of 2020 to lead the technical department at race car manufacturer Dallara.

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Asked about the difficulty of replacing those golems, Wolfe said: “People like Aldo, you can never replace them.

“But you need to find in the structure, that you divide the work among several other people.

“Aldo has also been fantastic at arranging his successor – it’s not something that happens every day.

“We basically had two-and-a-half years of warning that he was going to leave. He shaped the department in the sense that he was.”

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Leclerc not surprised after Q1 elimination: 'Have no answers now'

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Charles Leclerc posted the fastest time of 19th in qualifying, forcing him to start Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix at least from the penultimate position. The Ferrari driver had hoped for more, but suddenly ran into problems. What was missing, he found it difficult to say. According to the Monaco native, it was clear something was wrong.

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Leclerc has ‘no answer’ after Q1 exit in F1 Spanish GP qualifying

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During the brief Q1 session, Leclerc reported over the radio that he had a problem with his rear tire as he struggled to secure a consistent finish in qualifying.

After missing his first flyer, Leclerc was under pressure to secure a Q2 seat in the final seconds of the race, but he finished just 19th, while team-mate Carlos Sainz finished fourth. Achievement promotion.

After the race, Leclerc said he did not know what went wrong with his Ferrari through Barcelona’s left-hand corner in the first quarter.

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“I don’t have an answer. At the moment, the only thing I can say is that it’s impossible to drive on the left,” he said.

“Through the right-hand corner it feels very similar to this morning, but in the left-hand corner there is something we need to analyze and understand because it’s far from what I expected.”

Leclerc initially thought he had a problem with his tyres, but the problem persisted in his second set, confusing him as he was free from any problems in Saturday morning’s third free practice session.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23

Photography: Mark Sutton/ motorsport pictures

“I thought it was a tire problem in the first set, but then we did the second set and it felt exactly the same,” he added.

“I just didn’t have grip in the left-hand corner at the back, so we’ll check the car and I’d be very surprised if everything is fine.

“Even in the rough conditions this morning, I feel really good about the car, so something is not right.”

As Sainz went on to finish second behind Max Verstappen, in front of an ecstatic Spanish crowd, Leclerc revealed the strange behavior of his car nearly crashed him.

“I had a lot of moments, even during the first red flag, where I almost lost it and threw it into the gravel in the left-hand corner,” he explained.

“It’s very, very strange behavior, so we have to check the car.”

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Sainz optimistic after Qualifying: ‘We can focus on getting the podium'

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Carlos Sainz qualified P2 at the Grand Prix in his hometown of Barcelona. While the Ferrari driver was nowhere near Verstappen, he was the best of the others today. On the other hand, his teammate Charles Leclerc finished 19th.

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