In a surprising turn of events, the timing of AlphaTauri’s announcement regarding Laurent Mekies replacing Franz Tost as team boss has stirred discontent within Ferrari. Tost, in response, emphasized that the team’s hands were forced due to unexpected press leaks, leaving them with no choice but to disclose the information sooner than intended.
Tost had recently dropped retirement hints, indicating that changes were on the horizon. Subsequently, ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix race weekend, it was officially revealed that the 2023 Formula 1 season would mark Tost’s final campaign as AlphaTauri’s team principal.
Taking over the position at an as-yet-unspecified date will be Ferrari’s current race director, Laurent Mekies. This transition will mark Mekies’ first foray into the team principal role within the Formula 1 realm. Assisting him in his new position will be Peter Bayer, formerly the F1 executive director and FIA secretary general, who will assume the role of AlphaTauri’s CEO.
Ferrari was caught off guard by the announcement, considering they were unaware of its imminent release. The timing was deemed “aggressive” by the Italian team. However, Tost was quick to reassure Ferrari that the premature announcement was not their original plan. Instead, they were compelled to share the news due to leaks within the press.
“The announcement, to tell you the truth, was not planned to come up now; this was planned much later,” Tost stated, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “But as you all [journalists] are very professional, there were some leaks in the press. And I didn’t want to come here to Baku – it was in the Gazzetta dello Sport, for example – and to tell all of you, ‘no, I don’t know anything,’ because it’s not the way we work.”
Consequently, AlphaTauri decided to release an official press statement earlier than intended. Tost acknowledged that he understands why some individuals might be displeased with the circumstances surrounding the announcement.
The transition of power within AlphaTauri and the subsequent impact on Ferrari will undoubtedly be closely monitored within the Formula 1 community. As Laurent Mekies steps into the team principal role and Peter Bayer assumes the CEO position, the dynamics and future strategies of the team are poised to undergo a significant transformation.
