Introduction
Paddy Lowe (born 8 April 1962 in Nairobi, Kenya) is a British motor racing engineer, who was most recently Executive Director (Technical) of the Mercedes Formula One team.
Education
Lowe attended Sevenoaks School from 1976 until 1980 and graduated from Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge in 1984 with a degree in Engineering.
Formula One career
Williams (1987–1993)
In 1987 Lowe was employed by Williams as Joint Head of Electronics. He spent six years at Williams, during which time he oversaw the development of active suspension, used to help Nigel Mansell win the 1992 World Championship.
McLaren (1993–2013)
Lowe moved to McLaren in 1993, when he was employed as Head of Research and Development, a department subsequently renamed Vehicle Technology. He was head of the department for eight years until 2001, when he was appointed Chief Engineer Systems Development, a role focusing on the race programme for the McLaren MP4-20. In May 2005 he assumed the role of Engineering Director, which gave him responsibility for all the engineering departments. In January 2011 Lowe became the team's Technical Director.
Mercedes (2013–2017)
Lowe moved to the Mercedes Formula One team as Executive Director on 3 June 2013.
In 2015 Lowe was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Along with his elder brother Professor Michael Lowe they are the first brothers to be elected Fellows of the Academy.
On 10 January 2017, Mercedes announced that Lowe had left the team, and entered a period of gardening leave.
Formula One World Championships
- 1992: Nigel Mansell, Williams FW14B
- 1998: Mika Häkkinen, McLaren MP4/13
- 1999: Mika Häkkinen
- 2008: Lewis Hamilton
- 2014: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid
- 2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid
- 2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid
Family
Lowe is married to Anna Danshina, screen actress and former President of the Oxford University Russian Society. He has two children from a previous relationship: Noah and Finty, whose photograph with Nico Rosberg (which was "photobombed" by Lewis Hamilton) went viral in 2014.