Mercedes Confirms Bradley Lord as Deputy Team Principal in Formal Leadership Move
Mercedes has officially announced the appointment of Bradley Lord as deputy team principal of their Formula 1 team, a promotion that formalises additional responsibilities he has undertaken over the past two years. The move represents a significant restructuring within the leadership group of the championship-winning squad.
From Communications Chief to Deputy Leader
Previously serving as chief communications officer, Bradley Lord has been a full-time member of the Mercedes team since 2013, having transferred from the Mercedes car brand, formerly known as Daimler. In recent seasons, he has assumed expanded duties, including acting as an unofficial team representative at several Grand Prix events when team principal Toto Wolff was unavailable.
Mercedes views Lord's promotion as formal recognition of these extra responsibilities, which have seen him become one of the most influential figures within the organisation. His career in Formula 1 spans over two decades, with two separate spells at the Enstone-based team, initially joining as a press officer at Benetton in 2001 and remaining after Renault acquired the outfit.
Toto Wolff Explains the Strategic Appointment
Team principal and CEO Toto Wolff addressed the appointment, stating: "With the growth of our team and F1, the scope of our operations and associated responsibilities at a senior level has grown significantly. We have therefore taken this opportunity to put in place a change that has effectively been operating in practice for some time."
Wolff emphasised that while his own role and overall responsibilities remain unchanged, Lord's work as deputy team principal will enhance the capability of the leadership group and provide continued support. He praised Lord as "a dedicated and long-serving member of our organisation who has played an important part in the team becoming the most successful of the modern era."
The team principal added that aligning the structure in this way ensures the leadership group can focus fully on areas where they add greatest value, optimising to meet the demands of a rapidly growing sport.
Filling the Void Left by Previous Deputy
Bradley Lord becomes the first person to hold the deputy team principal position at Mercedes since Jerome D'Ambrosio. The Belgian former F1 driver joined Mercedes in 2023 as driver development director and briefly served as Wolff's second-in-command before departing for Ferrari along with performance director Loic Serra.
Following D'Ambrosio's exit, Lord became the figure who represented the team on the limited occasions that Wolff was absent from races over the past couple of years. This practical experience made him the natural choice for the formalised position, according to team insiders.
Communications Department Leadership Transition
With Lord's promotion beyond the communications department, Adam McDaid, currently head of media relations and editorial, now leads Mercedes' communications operations. This transition allows Lord to concentrate fully on his expanded leadership responsibilities within the team's hierarchy.
The appointment comes as Mercedes continues to adapt its organisational structure to maintain competitiveness in Formula 1's evolving landscape, where operational demands have increased substantially across all teams.
