P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mekies: Gardening leave avoided “intensity” of in-season F1 team switch
Laurent Mekies will officially join the Faenza outfit on January 1, working alongside CEO Peter Bayer as former boss Franz Tost retires. Mekies, a former Ferrari sporting director, has been on gardening leave since the summer break and believes the time off has been beneficial in allowing him to gather his thoughts before rejoining the team he previously worked for. He is excited about joining a new racing family and is grateful for the opportunity. Tost is confident that the team is in good hands with Bayer and Mekies, and expects them to take the team to another level. The new name for AlphaTauri will be announced next week when the official 2024 F1 entry list is released.
