Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport has announced that former Ferrari Technical director James Allison will join the German team from 1 March.

Allison, who has won world championships with both Ferrari and Renault, in addition to holding senior leadership roles in both teams, will join Mercedes in the newly created role of Technical Director and will lead the Technical organisation. He will report directly to Toto Wolff, who will have overall responsibility for running the team.

The announcement follows months of speculation which followed Allison's departure from Ferrari, the Englishman subsequently linked with both the German team and a return to Enstone.

Today's official confirmation of Allison's recruitment comes a month after Paddy Lowe left the Brackley-based outfit to join Williams.

Entering F1 in 1991 with Benetton as a junior aerodynamicist, Allison subsequently spent two years with Larrousse as head of aero before returning to Enstone as senior aerodynamic designer.

By 1998 he had risen to the role of head of aerodynamics with Benetton before joining Ferrari in 2000 as aerodynamicist responsible for track operations, as the Maranello outfit's new golden era began.

In 2005 he returned to Enstone, now under the guise of Renault, as deputy technical director, remaining with the team as it subsequently morphed into Lotus Renault GP and Lotus F1 before returning to Ferrari in 2014.

"I am very excited to be getting back to work after this time away from the sport," said Allison. "It's a massive privilege to be given the trust of a position in a team that has done so spectacularly well in the past three seasons. I am really looking forward to playing my part in helping Mercedes go from strength to strength in the coming years."

"I am delighted to welcome James to Mercedes and very much looking forward to working with him," added Toto Wolff. "Our technical team is extremely skilled at every level and at the top of its game after delivering three world championships in a row.

"It wasn't an easy task to find the right personality who can strengthen our experienced group of engineers, give our talented young team members the space to develop and also bring his own vision to this role. James is a sharp engineer; I think we have found the perfect guy and the right fit with our senior leaders."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by airman1, 17/02/2017 4:28

"F1 is becoming a bit like football teams, particularly Real Madrid, hiring folks, if for nothing else, but to prevent someone else from hiring them, even when they do not need them......on the other hand, the mystery of his premature departure from Ferrari is becoming a bit clearer now..."

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2. Posted by White Lightning, 16/02/2017 10:54

"The strong get stronger. I believe Allison is one of the best in the business. Lowe to Williams will be interesting though."

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James Allison joins Mercedes

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