Franz Tost, Formula 1’s second longest-serving Team Principal, has opened up about his decision to step down as AlphaTauri boss at the end of the year.
The 67-year-old joined the Faenza-based team in 2006, when Red Bull brought Minardi, turning the team into a sister squad under the Toro Rosso.
It was announced last month that Tost will be replaced by current Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies for the 2024 campaign.
In addition, AlphaTrauri have recruited former FIA executive Peter Bayer to start later this year as CEO.
“It’s time to go… 67 years,” Tost said.
“I think this is the time where I will hand it over to some other people who can do a much better job than me.
“It’s the correct way, I think, to do it, and I am more than looking forward to when Peter Bayer and Laurent Mekies will take over the lead [of] the team.”
The Red Bull-owned team has served as a launch pad for some of the most successful drivers in modern F1 history with names such as Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo.
“I think, you know, when Dietrich Mateschitz decided to buy the Minardi team, he said one of the main pillars is to educate the young Red Bull drivers, and this is what the team did.
“Looking back, there were some very high-skilled drivers like Sebastian Vettel, then, of course, Verstappen.”
While under Red Bull ownership, the team has never scored higher than sixth in the constructors’ championship. AlphaTauri is currently sitting ninth in the standings after a mixed start to the season.
“I know they won many races, championships and so on – but there are also some other drivers, they were really fast, like Carlos Sainz, like Pierre Gasly, Ricciardo, Daniel, and now Yuki Tsunoda.
“And there are a couple of drivers, they really improved a lot in the time and they were in our team and they did a very professional job, they developed themselves and that’s good to see.”
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