Scuderia Ferrari have moved to deny rumours suggesting Paddy Lowe will join the team taking on the role vacated by James Allison earlier this season.
Commenting directly to JWGP a team representative remarked:
“There’s no comment to make as it is what it is-just rumours generated from some media.”
Mercedes AMG Petronas are yet to respond to the rumour, but a similar response should be expected. Such rumours are common around this point in the season, silly season extends far beyond the driver market these days!
It should be noted that Paddy Lowe has attended all races this year with AMG Mercedes Petronas, if he were to be switching teams he would likely have been placed on gardening leave. Furthermore, should any change prove to be on the cards existing contracts would likely preclude Paddy Lowe from any involvement with the Scuderia for a minimum of 12 months. Which would in effect marginalise his ability to influence any F1 car design until 2019.
With many elements of teams 2017 challengers already in place, a rival team seeking to challenge the dominance of Mercedes through poaching key personnel would have had to have made a move far earlier in the season.
Paddy Lowe joined Mercedes in 2013, at the same time as Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton has a contract with the Silver Arrows through to 2018.
Wilde Consulting 