Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell — one of the key individuals behind the brand’s success in Formula One — will leave his role at the end of the month, prompting a restructure of the management at the team’s engine department.
Cowell is currently the managing director of Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), whose engines have powered Lewis Hamilton to all six of his world titles and the team to six consecutive constructor’s titles in the last six years. He informed the team in January that he would leave his position, prompting a restructure at the top of HPP — which also supplies engines to Mercedes’ Formula E team and its Project One road car — that will be rolled out from July 1 onwards.
Cowell will remain as an advisor on a “major future project” until at least early 2021 and will help with the transition of the new structure, but his duties as the head of the F1 team’s engine department will be taken over by Hywel Thomas at the start of next month.
“Andy’s leadership of the team at HPP has been a key factor in our championship success in recent seasons,” team principal Toto Wolff said. “He has made an outstanding contribution to our motorsport legacy and I have valued and enjoyed our working relationship since 2013; I am sure he will enjoy great success in the next challenge he decides to take on.
“Our philosophy has always been that a winning team is a dynamic organisation, and that change is a natural part of every company’s development. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to work together to create a new leadership structure, by building on the strength in depth of the team in Brixworth. It puts us in a very strong position for the years ahead, as we aim to set new benchmarks in Formula One and Formula E.”
Cowell said he worked with Daimler board member Markus Schafer and Wolff to ensure a structure was in place to take over his responsibilities.
“After 16 enjoyable years working for HPP, I have decided that now is the right time to move on from my role and seek a new engineering business challenge. I have appreciated the opportunity to work with Markus [Schäfer] and Toto in defining the future leadership structure of the company and I have every confidence in the ability of Hywel and the team to lead the company forward.
“It has been an absolute honour to work for Mercedes and especially to be Managing Director of HPP for seven years. Thank you to everyone who has provided me with such amazing opportunities and enjoyable challenges, especially Ola Källenius [Daimler chariman] who had the courage to support me back in 2006.”
Cowell joined HPP from engine company Cosworth in 2004 as principal engineer and has played a key role in the success of Mercedes’ Formula One engines ever since. Although rival engine manufacturers have caught up in recent years, Mercedes’ current power unit has been the benchmark of the turbo-hybrid era and has won 89 of the 121 races it has competed in since the start of 2014.
Innovative solutions pioneered under Cowell’s leadership were key to the team’s success in that period, including a split turbo, which placed the compressor and turbine at opposite ends of the engine. He arguably represents the biggest departure from the team since it started dominating Formula One six years ago.