Mercedes technical director signs new multi-year contract ahead of the 2024 F1 season

Mercedes technical director James Allison has signed a new long-term contract with the team days after team principal Toto Wolff extended his stint for three more seasons.

Allison became a part of the Brackley crew back in 2017 after gaining crucial experience with Ferrari and Renault (Lotus). During his time with Mercedes, the team has won four drivers' and five constructors' world championships.

In 2021, Allison was promoted to the Chief Technical Officer of the team, but last year he returned to the post of technical director.

"F1 has brought me a lot of good fortune, but none greater than answering Toto’s call to join Mercedes in 2017," Allison said after signing his extension (via formula1.com).

"It is a great privilege to continue this adventure, working alongside brilliant colleagues and fighting together for championship success."

Allison's extension comes days after Wolff signed a new three-year contract with the team. The latter has been the head of the team for the past decade and has made some of the crucial decisions that have helped the team dominate the turbo-hybrid era.

Mercedes has set definite goals for the 2024 F1 season. After 2023 passed on without a single victory, the design concept of the car is reportedly being worked on again to tackle the challenges this time around.

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Mercedes boss confident of Lewis Hamilton winning another F1 world championship

The 2021 season marked a close battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the world championship and the latter emerged victorious. Hamilton, who has won a record seven world championships until now, has since been looking to win his eighth.

With the new aerodynamic regulations, however, Mercedes has only managed to be the second or third best. The last time Hamilton won a race was back in 2021, and since then, he has been waiting to get into a competitive car.

Team principal Toto Wolff is confident that the team will provide Lewis Hamilton with a car that is capable of winning a title despite their recent struggles. He said in an interview with The Telegraph (as quoted by RacingNews365):

"The answer is clearly yes in capital letters.

"There is a reason Lewis is a seven-time world champion, and has broken all the records… His ability is on a different level."

Wolff feels that his age will not play a factor in deciding Hamilton's fate with the world championship. He is currently the second-oldest driver on the grid at 39 behind Fernando Alonso (42).

"If we are able to give him a car that he actually feels, that drives in a way that he can trust, he will be on the level that’s needed to win the championship. 39 is no age," Wolff said.

Mercedes is expected continue with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton until the end of the 2025 F1 season, having tied them down to an extension. The team will be looking to win its first race since the 2022 Brazilian GP - Russel's maiden F1 win - in the upcoming season.