Less than two months ago, after the start of the World Cup, the departure of the then chief designer of Ferrari, David Sánchez, to another F1 team was well known. And now, in a delicate moment for the Italians, it is known that they will lose one of their strong men: AlphaTauri, the ‘B’ team of Red Bull, announced on Wednesday the departure of its Team Principal , Franz Tost, at the end of this season, and his position will be filled by current Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies.
Mekies will return to his old home, to the Faenza team, a group where he was from 2003 to 2013 (at Minardi and Toro Rosso). In October 2014, he reached the FIA and later signed for Ferrari, and in 2018 announced his transfer to Ferrari.
For his part, Franz Tost will step down as AlphaTauri Team Principal after many campaigns, having joined the team since its inception in 2005.
“With the aim of ensuring long-term stability and ensuring its continuity, Scuderia AlphaTauri has announced that a new senior management structure will be established at the team. Former FIA executive Peter Bayer will join the team as chief executive officer. at the end of this year, while Franz Tost will step down as team principal at the end of the 2023 season. Laurent Mekies, current Ferrari sporting director, will join Scuderia AlphaTauri as the new team principal at a date to be confirmed. ” , the group based in Faenza (Italy) announced through a press release.
“Peter Bayer joins Scuderia AlphaTauri as CEO and most recently served as F1 CEO and FIA Secretary General for Sport. Peter will oversee the strategic direction of the team at its facilities in Faenza and in the UK.” the notice.
Franz Tost: “It’s time to take over”
“First of all, I would like to thank Dietrich Mateschitz, who gave me the incredible opportunity to be team principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso and Scuderia AlphaTauri for the last 18 years. It is a real privilege to lead the team in it’s been a long time and it’s a great pleasure to work with so many motivated and capable people, who share my passion for Formula 1. At the age of 67, it’s time to hand over the baton. To Peter as the new CEO and Laurent as team manager , we have found two very professional people who will take the team to the next level. I want to thank everyone for the good cooperation.”
Mekies: “An honor”
“First of all, I would like to pay tribute to Franz for the great job he has done for almost two decades at the helm of Faenza. I wish him the best for the future and know both Peter and I will be counting on his input and advice going forward. Looking forward, I am honored to take on the role of team principal and return to the team where I spent most of my early career. Scuderia AlphaTauri has all the necessary ingredients for further success in the future and, together with Peter, I look forward to that.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
