The metamorphosis of AlphaTauri: What is set to change

AlphaTauri is a team with a rich and eventful history. From theremnants of Minardi, the team began its Formula 1 adventure in2006, then as Toro Rosso and with the support of Red Bull, but asthe junior team. Since then, the Faenza team has been used as ajunior outfit, used to test drivers and power units for the seniorteam, with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen makingthe grade at both Toro Rosso and Red Bull, with seven titles and107 wins between them. In 2021, the returned Pierre Gasly led theteam to a strong season in the final year of the 2017-2021 rules,but since ground effects came in, the team has struggled. Itfinished ninth in 2022 and was only one better in 2023 with eighth,but there were encouraging signs towards the end of the season justgone - as the team undergoes big change off-track. An awful lot ischanging, but what will stay the same? Well, apart from the driversDaniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, not much. The team name It hasbeen known for some time that AlphaTauri is saying goodbye to itscurrent name. What the team will be called is not yet known, butthe fact is that the eponymous clothing brand will disappear. Atfirst, there was talk that Red Bull might want to sell the team,but that idea was quickly consigned to the rubbish bin, with anannouncement expected before the season. Incoming CEO Peter Bayerwas already very excited about the announced changes in anexclusive interview with RacingNews365: "We have made greatprogress on the commercial side of things. We have a new name forthe team, a new identity for the team has been developed," he said."The shareholders approved all the plans. In Thailand, we had ameeting where we agreed on the global strategy and all thosesimilar issues. So we are all set. There will be a completely newset of partners. It is very exciting." The team boss Ever since thelate Dietrich Mateschitz brought Minardi for the 2006 season, theman at the helm of Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri has been Franz Tost - theno-nonsense, straight-talking veteran. He was at the helm for 18seasons but Tost elected to step down at the end of 2023. He isbeing replaced by Bayer as CEO and by ex-Ferrari sporting directorLaurent Mekies as Team Principal. The vision The team wants tobecome a stable factor in the midfield and no longer focusesexclusively on developing young drivers. With Ricciardo, the teamhas an experienced Grand Prix winning driver, whose experience isalready rubbing off on fourth-year Tsunoda. Bayer explained howAlphaTauri plans to handle it. "We definitely won't be a B-teamanymore. But I think we are still trying to fulfil one of the otherstrategic missions, which is to run a junior development program,"he says. "We're just doing it in a slightly different way. We don'trace two rookies anymore, but we always have one experienced driverwho takes a young driver under his wing and helps him develop.""The shareholders don't expect us to win the World Championship,that's not realistic, they do want us to fight for P5. "Red Bull isgoing to fight for first place, but our goal is P5. That's alreadyquite significant if you look at the competition. To reach thatposition, we have to be a worthy Formula 1 team. That's why we areinvesting in facilities." Cooperation with Red Bull AlphaTauri wentmore and more on its own in recent years, but also paid the pricefor it. The team now recognizes that Red Bull's help is veryimportant, and will take as many transferable components (formerlyknown as non-listed parts) as is possible for the 2024 car. Bayerwas clear about the reason for that decision. "We are going tomaximize cooperation with Red Bull and use all the parts within theregulations of the FIA. We didn't do that in 2023, and we considerthat a mistake by the team. 'Therefore, we are definitely going tochange that in 2024."