Permane replaces Mekies as Racing Bulls team principal

Racing Bulls has announced Alan Permane will replace the Red Bull-bound Laurent Mekies as team principal with immediate effect, following Christian Horner’s firing.

Horner was relieved of his duties at Red Bull on Wednesday morning, with Mekies promoted to the role of CEO or Red Bull Racing in his place. As a result of that move, Permane (pictured at left, above, with Mekies) steps up from sporting director to take over Mekies’ responsibilities as team principal at Racing Bulls, working alongside CEO Peter Bayer for the Faenza-based team.

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“I feel very honored to take on the role as team principal and would like to thank Oliver [Mintzlaff,Red Bull managing director] and Helmut [Marko, team advisor] for the trust they have shown in me,” Permane said. “I am looking forward to working with Peter to continue the good work that both him and Laurent have done in taking this team forward. This is a new challenge for me, but I know that I can count on the support of everyone within them.”

Permane only joined Racing Bulls at the start of the 2024 season, joining as racing director having worked at Enstone – under the team names of Benetton, Renault, Lotus and Alpine – for more than 30 years. He takes over from Mekies, who says Permane is ideally suited to succeed him as the Frenchman heads to Red Bull.

“The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter,” Mekies said. “It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people. The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning. Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.”

Racing Bulls slipped to seventh in the constructors’ championship after a double DNF at Silverstone on Sunday, but has long been the proving ground for young Red Bull drivers, with Max Verstappen starting his career with the team under a previous guise of Toro Rosso. Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to partner Verstappen in the senior team in place of Liam Lawson earlier this year.

The change of team principal at Red Bull and Racing Bulls means only Mercedes' Toto Wolff has been in such a role for more than two full seasons, with Andrea Stella at McLaren, Fred Vasseur at Ferrari and James Vowles at Williams all taking on their positions ahead of the 2023 season.