Ferrari confirm Mekies’ departure ahead of move to AlphaTauri

Ferrari has confirmed Laurent Mekies will leave the team this week as he prepares to take up a new role at rivals AlphaTauri.

Mekies joined the team in 2018 having previously been the FIA’s safety director and deputy race director. AlphaTauri announced three months ago it had hired Mekies as part of a planned overhaul of its management team.

Ferrari confirmed Mekies will not be part of its team at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. Diego Ioverno, a 23-year veteran of Ferrari, has been appointed as the team’s sporting director and will replace Mekies on the pit wall.

Mekies will take over the role of team principal at AlphaTauri in place of Franz Tost, who is to step down at the end of this season. He will work alongside Peter Bayer, whose arrival as CEO was announced at the same time as Mekies’ appointment.

He is returning to the Faenza team which he spent 12 years working for under its two previous identities. Mekies joined Minardi, as it was originally known, as race engineer to Mark Webber in 2002.

After the team became Toro Rosso he rose to become head of vehicle performance before joining the FIA in 2015. On his return the 46-year-old will become team principal for the first time in his career.

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