F1 Roundup: Mekies replaces Tost as AlphaTauri Team Principal
Mekies takes over as AlphaTauri Team Principal, Alonso eager for Baku Sprint, and LED wheel cover plans dropped for 2024.
AlphaTauri Announces Mekies as New Team Principal and Bayer as CEO
Scuderia AlphaTauri has announced a significant change in leadership, with former Ferrari Sporting Director Laurent Mekies taking over as Team Principal and ex-FIA executive Peter Bayer joining as CEO.
Mekies will replace Franz Tost, who will step down at the end of the 2023 season.
Tost has been a key figure in the development of AlphaTauri and its predecessor, Scuderia Toro Rosso, helping bring up a generation of champions such as Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, and other race winners like Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, and Carlos Sainz.
In recognition of his contributions, Tost will continue to work with the team in a consultancy role in 2024.
Bayer's strategically focused role will see him overseeing the direction of the team at its Faenza and UK facilities, while Mekies will manage day-to-day operations.
Alonso Eager for First Sprint of 2023 and Maintaining Podium Streak in Baku
Fernando Alonso expresses excitement for the first Sprint of the 2023 campaign, as his Aston Martin team aims to continue their strong start at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
With three third-place finishes in the first three races, Aston Martin is currently second in the constructors' championship.
Alonso said, "I'm excited to see the return of the Sprint this weekend too… especially now with two qualifying sessions and two races."
Teammate Lance Stroll, who achieved his first F1 podium in Baku in 2017, is also eager for the weekend and praises the team for its performance so far.
F1 Abandons LED Wheel Cover Light System for 2024
Formula 1 has officially abandoned plans to introduce LED wheel covers for 2024 after a recent meeting between series chiefs and teams.
The idea was to use LED wheel covers to display additional information to fans, with Pirelli's head of car racing and F1, Mario Isola, stating that the options for the information displayed were limitless.
However, concerns regarding potential weight increase in a sensitive area of the car led to the decision to scrap the idea.
The switch from 13-inch to 18-inch wheels had already increased the mass, and many teams were struggling to keep their cars below the minimum weight limit.
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