Ross Brawn has admitted he is not sure what tasks new recruit Paddy Lowe will be assigned at Mercedes.
Lowe, McLaren’s former technical director, has been extracted from his contract with the great British team six months early, and will start work at Mercedes in just over a week.
His title will be executive director technical, but many see the 51-year-old as the longer-term successor for team boss Brawn.
Asked what Lowe will be doing when he starts work on Monday week, Brawn told German news agency SID: "I honestly don’t know yet.
"We will see how he can help us the best both in the short and long term."
Along with former Ferrari technical director Brawn, also working at Mercedes on technical matters now are Bob Bell, Aldo Costa, Geoff Willis and now Lowe.
"Each will have an area of responsibility and will report to Ross Brawn," chairman Niki Lauda told Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo.
Asked about the old adage of too many chiefs and not enough Indians, the great Austrian scoffed: "Bullshit."