RUMOR: Mercedes-Benz eyeing McLaren's Paddy Lowe amid team renewal

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The Silver Arrows works team is going through a period of major structural changes. After signing Lewis Hamilton last year as new driver for 2013 to replace retiring Michael Schumacher, Mercedes-Benz officials have also convinced Williams-Renault's Toto Wolff to take over the motorsporting activities of the brand in addition to becoming executive director of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. Now, a report circulating on the internet indicates McLaren's technical director Paddy Lowe is closer than ever to join the Brackley-based Formula 1 team.

Although both parties have denied the rumor so far, today appeared the information McLaren-Mercedes makes all the necessary effort to convince Paddy Lowe to stay at the Woking-based team in 2013 as well. It is believed that the British officials are also ready to offer him a higher salary only to make Lowe refuse the offer coming from Mercedes-Benz.

However, McLaren looks now very much like a struggling team, after losing Hamilton at the end of 2012 and replacing him with the last-minute solution called Sergio Perez, whose F1 performance history does not recommend him for the new, challenging position at one of the legendary teams involved in this sport.

It is certainly only a matter of time until an official announcement regarding the recruitment of Paddy Lowe as new technical director of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS is issued. In the mean time, McLaren-Mercedes execs are also considering the last-resort choice: James Allison from Lotus-Renault could replace Paddy Lowe in the end.

Amidst these rumors, there's an ongoing speculation that Ross Brawn will also lose its position at the team, although both him and higher Daimler officials have denied any scenario. Anyway, if Paddy Lowe arrives at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, due to certain conditions regarding F1 contracts, he will be able to start his work only by the mid of the 2013 F1 season, when Ross Brawn is also expected to step down according to rumors.

All this publicity around MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS creates high expectations. One cannot doubt the solid expertise of Toto Wolff, Niki Lauda, Lewis Hamilton and, probably, Paddy Lowe. This entirely new team brings a ray of hope and a lot of fresh air at Brackley. Motivation for consistent performance and confidence in future victorious times is also on the list, given the latest statements. Such high investment from Stuttgart into the yet-to-impress MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS should pay off this season once and for all.

Credits: Daimler AG