McLaren have confirmed that Paddy Lowe will depart the team at the end of the season following speculation that he will join Mercedes in a senior role.
The technical designer, who will be put on ‘gardening leave’ until the end of the season, has been with the team for almost 20 years.
Team principal Martin Whitmarsh confirmed Lowe’s departure in a statement.
“Paddy [Lowe] will be performing a different role within McLaren until the end of the year,” he said. “He’s been a good and successful F1 technical director, and we wish him well when he embarks on a fresh challenge in 2014.”
Whitmarsh also confirmed that Tim Goss, who has been with McLaren since 1990, will replace Lowe with immediate effect.
“I’d like to offer my congratulations to Tim on his new position, which, after more than 20 years of exceptional service for McLaren, he richly deserves.
“In truth, though, this is a natural evolution in Tim’s already very successful career, and the fact that the decision to offer him our Technical Directorship was so straightforward for Jonathan [Neale] and me demonstrates two things: the robust and logical succession-planning that underpins the senior engineering personnel structure within Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, and the commitment we have to developing our people, over many years, allowing their talent and expertise to flourish in a collaborative and collegiate environment.”
Goss added: “I’m delighted to have been offered the Technical Directorship of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – one of the most prestigious positions in global sport – and I’m greatly looking forward to making a significant contribution to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ ongoing success in that role.”
