Alpine Appoints Ex-Mercedes Tech Chief Mike Elliott

The Alpine Formula 1 team has appointed former Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott to the same role, marking a significant addition to its technical leadership. The announcement, made following the Spanish Grand Prix, sees Elliott return to the Enstone-based squad where he previously worked as principal aerodynamicist from 2008 to 2012. Elliott, 52, will lead and oversee the technical and engineering functions at Alpine's Enstone factory. His hiring is intended to strengthen the team's technical capabilities as it aims to close the performance gap to the top four constructors: Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull. Alpine stated the move builds on improved on-track performances in the 2026 season. The appointment concludes a three-year absence from the sport for Elliott, who left Mercedes in October 2023. His tenure at Mercedes included a period as technical director during the team's challenging transition to the 2022 ground-effect regulations. He later swapped roles with James Allison, becoming chief technical officer before departing.