Major Red Bull scoop with key hire secured for rebranded junior team – report

Sam Cooper
AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer.

CEO Peter Bayer is charged with overseeing the new era of AlphaTauri.

Recently departed Alpine staffer Alan Permane is reportedly heading back to the F1 paddock as he joins soon-to-be-rebranded AlphaTauri.

Permane was one of two high-profile departures from the French outfit shortly before the 2023 summer break as both he and Otmar Szafnauer headed for the exit door.

But a man with Permane’s experience was not likely to be out of the game for too long and reportedly Red Bull have recruited him for their sister outfit.

Alan Permane set for swift return to F1 paddock

AlphaTauri, which will unveil its new guise sometime soon, is in a period of transition with Laurent Mekies now joining Peter Bayer as the main leadership of the Faenza-based team.

But another senior staff member has reportedly been recruited in the form of Permane who could join as sporting director.

According to Motorsport.com, the 56-year-old Englishman is close to joining AlphaTauri ahead of the 2024 season. PlanetF1.com has reached out to Red Bull to confirm the story but at the time of publication, had not heard back.

The Red Bull admiration for Permane was clear following his sacking with Christian Horner praising the long serving Team Enstone staff member.

“Alan Permane is one of the rocks of F1,” Horner told media including PlanetF1.com in Belgium. “He is one of the longest standing senior engineers in the sport, and certainly someone with a lot of knowledge.

“I don’t know about the ins and outs of the management reshuffle there, but there is a lot of very respectable people in there. And definitely, you shouldn’t discount anyone of that seniority.

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“Whilst I’ve never worked with Alan Permane, I think sometimes there has to be respect shown for somebody that’s put in 34 years of hard graft and been involved in world championships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.

“He has also been a steady hand during periods of that team going into administration, and out of administration, and into different ownership and so on.

“He’s very much been a constant there during that period. I think that earns respect and recognition, and I’m sure he’s a guy, like with Otmar, that won’t find themselves out of work.

“It won’t be the last you’ve seen of them in the pit lane, no doubt about that.”

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