New AlphaTauri Team Principal issues farewell to former squad

AlphaTauri Team Principal Laurent Mekies has published a farewellmessage to Ferrari following his departure from the Italian outfit.Mekies has replaced Franz Tost at the Red Bull sister squad withthe latter retiring after almost two decades of leading the team.Mekies has an existing relationship with AlphaTauri, having workedfor it from 2005 to 2014 as its chief engineer when it ran underthe Toro Rosso moniker. After departing the Faenza-based squad foran FIA role in 2014, Mekies joined Ferrari in 2018 as a SportingDirector before being promoted to Deputy Team Principal and RacingDirector in 2021. Mekies' return to AlphaTauri is set to coincidewith a new team name for the squad, which is yet to be confirmed.Mekies' message Having now left Ferrari, Mekies wrote a goodbyemessage to the squad ahead of the upcoming campaign. “As my chapterin Red closes, it is the moment to thank everyone at ScuderiaFerrari for 5 unforgettable years,” he said. “We went through lowsand highs together, we fought every day, and we gave it everythingwe could. “My head and my heart are filled with incrediblememories, which I will cherish for life. “To all the fantasticpeople at the Scuderia, and to the amazing Tifosi, a huge thank youfor everything we have lived together and for your passionated,unconditioned, support. “A new adventure starts now, and it is witha great sense of gratefulness that I go from a very special racingfamily to another very special racing family. “We are embarkinginto an exciting journey, a new chapter for us to write alltogether, and I can’t wait to work alongside the talented people inFaenza and in Bicester.”