Red Bull Racing has entered a new chapter following the departure of long-serving team principal Christian Horner, and according to Alan Permane—current team principal of Racing Bulls—the reigning World Champions have chosen the right person to lead them into the future with the appointment of Laurent Mekies.
Alan Permane, who was recently appointed to head Racing Bulls, spoke positively about Laurent Mekies, the former Scuderia Ferrari engineer and former leader of the Faenza-based team. Mekies was officially named the new team principal and chief executive officer of Red Bull Racing earlier this month after Christian Horner was dismissed from his role, ending a tenure that lasted over two decades.
Over recent months, Red Bull has witnessed the departure of several high-profile technical and strategic figures. Rob Marshall moved to McLaren, Adrian Newey announced his exit from the team’s technical structure, and most recently, Christian Horner’s exit marked the end of an era. These three individuals had been instrumental in transforming Red Bull Racing from its early days, when it was known as Jaguar Racing, into a dominant force in modern Formula 1.
Despite these changes, Alan Permane expressed full confidence in Laurent Mekies, believing the Frenchman has the right skill set, experience, and leadership qualities to continue Red Bull Racing’s success.
“I believe they’ve chosen a fantastic person, honestly,” Alan Permane stated in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com. “He’s someone who understands the world, someone who enjoys a challenge. He knows racing inside out, but what truly sets him apart is how exceptional he is with people. Over my 36 years in Formula 1, I’ve worked alongside many team principals, and Laurent is among the best I’ve encountered.”
When asked about his dual responsibilities between Racing Bulls’ base in Faenza and Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, Permane added: “For me, it’s a great job to take on. I’m extremely fortunate because both Faenza and Milton Keynes are supported by excellent management teams.”
He further explained that, having been part of the Racing Bulls management structure for the past 18 months, he has built strong relationships with the leadership group and that they are helping facilitate a smooth transition in his new role. “As I’ve already said, Red Bull has found a very capable and talented individual to lead the team forward,” Permane emphasized.
Alan Permane also commented on the importance of maintaining the synergy between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. The collaborative structure between the two entities will remain intact and operate fully within the boundaries set by Formula 1’s technical and sporting regulations. From next season, Racing Bulls will not only continue to purchase gearbox components and suspension parts from Red Bull but will also switch to the in-house Red Bull Powertrains engines.
“This collaboration will be extremely beneficial,” Alan Permane continued. “I’m certain Laurent and Christian had a strong working relationship. The synergy programme functions well, and we’ll continue down that path within what the regulations allow.”
He concluded by explaining how the two team bases will coordinate. “Sometimes both Laurent and I will be present in Milton Keynes, while at other times I’ll be in Faenza and the technical team in Milton Keynes will manage the synergy aspects. So, I don’t foresee any issues at all.”
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