P1racenews AI automatic summary:
RB Formula 1 boss Laurent Mekies has defended the team’s close collaboration with Red Bull amid continued vehement criticism from
Amidst a troubled start to the previous campaign, it was revealed that the team, formerly known as AlphaTauri, would strengthen its technical alliance with Red Bull, adopting their rear suspension late in the season, leading them to finish eighth in the standings. Concerns arose that AlphaTauri would essentially replicate Red Bull’s championship-winning RB19 car, sparking ongoing doubts about the collaboration. Red Bull has taken on the front suspension used by the parent team last year, and is transitioning its operations to Milton Keynes, mirroring Red Bull’s setup. Despite criticism from McLaren CEO Zak Brown, Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur, and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff regarding the partnership, AlphaTauri’s new team principal, Mekies, affirmed that their operations are fully compliant with FIA regulations. The addition of new staff, like Guillaume Cattelani as Deputy Technical Director, has sparked speculation about intellectual property sharing between the two teams, but Mekies emphasized that all personnel movements are strictly regulated by the FIA to uphold fair competition and adherence to the rules. The introduction of a budget cap in F1 has led to discussions on the necessity of one entity owning multiple teams, with Brown advocating against it, while Mekies presents counterarguments to support their collaboration with Red Bull.
