John Owen has been part of the team since 2007, back when it was known as Honda. He played a major role in the team’s rise to the top of Formula One.

He was closely involved in championship success under the Brawn name in 2009 and later with Mercedes from 2010 onwards. His work shaped some of the most dominant cars in the sport.

During this period, the team won drivers’ and constructors’ titles as Brawn. Mercedes secured seven drivers’ championships and eight constructors’ championships between 2014 and 2021.

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In a statement, Mercedes said Owen would step down after helping with a smooth transition to his successor. After that, he will enter a period of gardening leave.

The team did not share details about Owen’s next career move, leaving his future plans unclear.

Mercedes confirmed that engineering director Giacomo Tortora will take over as Director of Car Design. He will work under deputy technical director Simone Resta.

Before joining Honda, Owen worked at the Swiss-based Sauber team, where he became a senior aerodynamicist in 2004.

He began his career at Reynard, a racing car manufacturer that is no longer in operation, before moving into Formula One.