F1 News: Laurent Mekies Leaves Ferrari Ahead Of Belgian Grand Prix Before 2024 AlphaTauri Move
Laurent Mekies, Ferrari’s assistant team principal, is bidding farewell to the team. His departure comes as he prepares to take up the reins at AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s sister team, in 2024.
This move initiates a six-month stand-down period for Mekies, where he can’t associate with another race team. Ferrari acknowledged his contributions, stating:
“The Racing Director will not be in Belgium and he leaves the Prancing Horse after four and a half seasons, during which time the team took seven wins. The entire team thanks him for his great contribution during those years.”
Diego Ioverno, a loyal team member for the past 23 years, is all set to fill Mekies’ shoes from the Belgian Grand Prix. Ferrari relayed:
“He [Ioverno] will be responsible for all sporting matters, as well as liaising with the FIA. Ioverno is a veteran member of the Scuderia having worked in Maranello for the past 23 years.”
Meanwhile, AlphaTauri is charting a course towards stronger ties with Red Bull. Mekies will step into the shoes of the outgoing team principal, Franz Tost. As the current season progresses, Ferrari is in the fourth position in the constructors’ championship, ahead of McLaren by 80 points and trailing Aston Martin by 17 points. The 2023 season has been dominated by Red Bull, with victories in all the races so far.
