Breaking news
Formula 1
Williams announces Lowe departure after leave of absence
Williams Formula 1 chief technical officer Paddy Lowe’s departure has finally been confirmed after a leave of absence that began before the start of the 2019 season.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Jun 25, 2019, 12:58 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Lowe has been on leave for “personal reasons” since March 5, with his last Williams appearance coming in pre-season testing at Barcelona. Williams has now announced that he will be leaving the team and step down from the board of directors with immediate effect.
In a statement from Williams, Lowe said he had made the decision to leave.
“After a period of careful reflection I have reached the decision that I will not return to work at Williams,” said Lowe. “I wish all my previous colleagues the very best to meet the challenges ahead, which I am sure they will do.
“I would especially like to thank the Williams fans who are so supportive.”
More F1 news:
- Latest Honda F1 upgrade inspired by jet engine tech
- The magic bullet Mercedes might have found
- F1 race director Masi open to racing rules change for 2020
Deputy team principal Claire Williams added: “We understand and respect the decision Paddy has reached and wish him well for the future“.
Lowe’s absence at Williams followed a dismal 2018 season, its 2019 car being late to testing and then showing even worse performance than last year’s design.
Williams’s FW42 subsequently required design changes to ensure its legality for the season opener in Australia, but Lowe’s leave of absence had begun by this point.
The ex-McLaren and Mercedes technical chief was a high-profile recruitment for Williams in 2017 and the 2018/19 cars were the first to be conceived under his leadership.
However, the team slumped to the back of the field in 2018 and finished last in the constructors’ championship. It has so far failed to score any points in 2019 with drivers Robert Kubica and George Russell qualifying several seconds off the pace.
In Lowe’s absence, leading aerodynamicist Doug McKiernan has taken on the most senior technical responsibility within the team. Williams has also drafted in co-founder and former technical head Patrick Head on a consultancy basis as well.
Speaking in France last weekend, Claire Williams said: “He [Head] comes in one or two days a week.
“If he can’t do that, he dials in and he joins the technical management team in their meetings. He is literally just acting as a guide, as a sounding board and really helping everybody out.
“So it’s really nice to have him back around the place.”
Read Also:
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article F1 race director Masi open to racing rules change for 2020
Next article Ricciardo: New surface stopped Renault from maximising upgrade
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Williams
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
James Vowles explains request for review of F1 cost cap
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
James Vowles explains request for review of F1 cost cap
Latest news
George Russell: F1 2026 season a test of "character and resilience"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
36 min
George Russell: F1 2026 season a test of "character and resilience"
Marc Marquez: ‘Jorge Martin rides on instinct; he just attacks, and that’s his strength’
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Marc Marquez: ‘Jorge Martin rides on instinct; he just attacks, and that’s his strength’
Lamborghini Super Trofeo | North America, Race 2: Bamber dominates to take the win
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
LBST Lamborghini Super Trofeo
World Finals - Monza 2026
1 h
Lamborghini Super Trofeo | North America, Race 2: Bamber dominates to take the win
Belgian firm to take over Renault/Alpine engine facility in Viry
WEC
WEC WEC 2 h
Belgian firm to take over Renault/Alpine engine facility in Viry
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe