With the movement of Laurent Mekies to AlphaTauri, there’s a lot that is ongoing between Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of his contract.
After Italian media reported of Mekies probably joining AlphaTauri as a replacement to Franz Tost either in 2023 and or 2024, the F1 outfit confirmed the news via a press release before the Azerbaijan GP. His role was confirmed, but not the joining date.
Having being overlooked to be the FIA F1 Race Director and the team principal at Ferrari, Mekies finally got his chance at his old team at AlphaTauri. But it isn’t easy for him to move out with the long-term contract that he has with the Italian manufacturer.
Frederic Vasseur stressed on that throughout the Baku weekend and Ferrari’s interest was the talking point too. The date of his joining AlphaTauri is still being discussed and in the meantime he has to continue doing his sporting director’s job at Ferrari.
There is no gardening leave as yet as well, so as to get a secured joining date. Amid this, reports has emerged – especially via German publication Auto Motor und Sport and few others from Italy – that Ferrari are trying to secure a deal with Red Bull in exchange.
Vasseur talked about mass recruitment drive he is going through and there are a list of Red Bull engineers in the fray as per multiple reports. One of the biggest names who is linked to the job is Red Bull’s key aerodynamics man, Enrico Balbo.
While the likes of Helmut Marko has played it down, Christian Horner was spotted at Ferrari’s motorhome on Sunday of Baku where he seemingly met Vasseur. The situation seems where Ferrari will release Mekies early if they get something in exchange.
It sounds like an old barter system and since Vasseur stressed on ‘Ferrari’s interest’, if Red Bull doesn’t agree, he has the advantage of Mekies’ long-term contract with the Italian manufacturer. The Frenchman also noted of the press only focusing on ‘key names’.
He reckons it is pack of people who join a F1 team when a recruitment drive is on. While Balbo’s name is being highlighted, the discussions must be about several more. Outgoing boss Tost too noted about talks to take place between Red Bull and Ferrari CEOs.
Even for people to move from Red Bull to Ferrari, there will be gardening days for those personnel and to cut it off or lessen them, the Mekies negotiation comes in. AlphaTauri would want him to be there from start of 2024, but it will depend on the negotiations.
Here’s Frederic Vassuer being chill about Laurent Mekies leaving: https://formularapida.net/ferrari-trio-speak-up-on-losing-mekies-to-alphatauri/
Missing Mekies –
Vasseur: “First, personally, I will miss Laurent because we have a very good personal relationship. But for Ferrari, we are speaking about an organisation with more than 1000 people and I can’t speak about individuals. That we have to take it as an opportunity to reshuffle the team, to reorganise the team. And it’s more personally that I will miss Laurent. For sure he made a huge contribution to the team over the last years. But again, we have to take it as a new chapter and an opportunity.”
His leaving date –
Vasseur: “This is the question mark, because we have a long term contract and I was a bit surprised with the press release. So far he’s on the pit wall with me and now we have to discuss with Toro Rosso (AlphaTauri) and perhaps Red Bull – I don’t know but you never know – about the future and the details of this.
“I think that first we have to clarify the details of the agreement and to know exactly when Laurent will start in the future team, in the future position and then I will take action and I will consider what we have to do in the interest of Ferrari. But so far he has a contract with Ferrari and he has a long term contract with Ferrari. I have said what I have to say.”
Blessing in disguise to build a team –
Vasseur: “In every single team you have to build up your own group and to build up something. Now we have to be clear that we are speaking, and it’s absolutely not against Laurent and the skills of Laurent and so on, but we are speaking about two people in a group of more than 1000 people. For sure individuals are important, but it’s nothing compared to the group. And we have to build up something on the group, not on individuals. And okay, Laurent decided to move, and as I said before, I’m fully respectful with the decision of Laurent, because I think it’s an opportunity for anyone. But this mid-term won’t impact the development of Ferrari.”
More people coming –
Vasseur: “It is not the matter of individuals. When you have over 1000 employees, and you have a turnover of 6-7%, it means that we have 100 people a year leaving the company and joining the company. Sometimes from a staff point of view you pay attention to one or two. We have 100 people a year joining the company, coming half from the other teams, half from the other business. It means that sometimes you are paying a lot of attention to names. But it’s not this which is driving the performance. But we are recruiting a lot.”
Your involvement in Mekies-AlphaTauri scene –
Horner: “Of course, I was consulted about who would be a good successor for Franz. Laurent having been with the team previously, having spent years in Italy, obviously, is a logical choice. Now, what was the details of his contract between him and Ferrari that’s for them to work out.”
Decision to leave AlphaTauri –
Tost: “It was my decision. It started already two years ago; I discussed it also with Dietrich Mateschitz in those days. I’m now 67 years old and when I was younger, I always said to myself, if you’re in a leading position, then you should not glue on the seat, you should give this position to younger people, more clever people, creative people, motivated people. And now I’m going to the 70s, it’s time to say goodbye. I love Formula 1. I like all of you as well. But it’s a story which once has to end. And especially now with the solution, with Peter Bayer as CEO and with Laurent Mekies, we have two fantastic people who will replace me. And I think it’s the best time to go out from Formula 1.”
Jump the gun with press release –
Tost: “The announcement, to tell you the truth, was not planned to come up now. This was planned much later. But as you all 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, that Laurent will come to us – and to tell all to you, “No, I don’t know anything,” because it’s not the way of how we are working. So, we said ‘okay, we go out with the press release.’ It was planned to do at a later time in the year. But now it’s out. And of course, I can imagine that some people are not happy about this.”
Mekies speaking to Vasseur –
Tost: “Of course, Laurent has spoken to Ferrari because I don’t think that he leaves the team without telling it to the team principal.”
Process of negotiations –
Tost: “First of all it is between Laurent and Fred. And then of course, Red Bull will take major role in this, I think that Oliver Mintzlaff will then will talk to the CEO from Ferrari and find a solution.”
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