Mercedes appoints Bradley Lord as deputy team principal

Mercedes has reshuffled its F1 leadership, promoting communications chief Bradley Lord to deputy team principal. Lord, the former official team representative and chief communications officer, will now sit directly under CEO‑team principal Toto Wolff as his number‑two.

Why it matters:

Formalising Lord’s position gives Mercedes a clear second‑in‑command as the sport’s operational scope expands, freeing Wolff to focus on long‑term strategy. A dedicated deputy also ensures the team can react swiftly to regulatory changes and intensifying competition.

The details:

• Lord’s remit now covers garage decision‑making, performance analysis and cross‑department coordination, expanding beyond his prior media duties.
• He joins a tight inner circle that previously included James Vowles (now Williams team principal) and Jerome D’Ambrosio (now Ferrari deputy team principal).
• Wolff says his own role stays unchanged, but Mercedes’ operational scope has “grown significantly,” prompting the formal structural tweak.

What's next:

With Lord now officially in the hierarchy, Mercedes expects smoother decision‑making and a quicker response to rule changes and on‑track challenges. Wolff and Lord will split duties for race strategy, media outreach and long‑term development, keeping the team poised to defend its recent dominance.