It is reported that former Alpine sporting director Alan Permane will join AlphaTauri ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Former Alpine sporting director Alan Permane is allegedly getting ready for a spectacular comeback to Formula 1 with the soon-to-be renamed AlphaTauri squad.
The 56-year-old, who had 34 years of experience at the squad that had previously been known as Benetton, Renault and Lotus, left Alpine last summer during a staff reorganization.
Permane was certainly going to be hotly sought after after his contract officially expired due to his track record, which included world championships with Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher.
After losing long-term team principal Franz Tost at the end of last season, the Red Bull junior squad that placed eighth in the constructors’ championship that season, reportedly made plans to hire Permane for 2024, according to Motorsport.com.
Arriving with a team that is going through significant transitions of its own, Permane will find AlphaTauri operating under the direction of a new senior partnership. The team is also set for a major rebrand, replacing AlphaTauri with a fresh name that will probably be revealed before the 2024 car launch.
Permane would collaborate with team drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, and work under new AlphaTauri team principal Laurent Mekies, who was previously working for Ferrari.
When Permane left Alpine in July, Christian Horner, who is embarking on his 20th season as Red Bull team principal this year, had nothing but gratitude towards him.
“Alan Permane is one of the rocks of F1,” Horner said. “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.
“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 pitlane, no doubt about that.”
It won’t be shocking if the report proves to be accurate considering Horner’s high admiration and praise. When AlphaTauri reveals the 2024 title contender, sponsor lineup and new team name sometime next month, it’s possible that the news will be confirmed.
The Bahrain Grand Prix will kick off the 2024 Formula 1 season on Saturday, March 2.
