Alan Permane Reacts to Red Bull’s Stunning Shake-Up as He Takes Over Racing Bulls
The Formula 1 paddock was left stunned after Red Bull Racing’s dramatic decision to part ways with long-time team principal and CEO Christian Horner. Following the 2025 British Grand Prix, the Austrian team announced Horner’s exit after a 20-year legacy that saw Red Bull rise from a mid-pack team to a dominant force in the sport. Stepping into his shoes is Laurent Mekies, who previously led the Red Bull sister team, Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.
As Mekies transitions to his new role at Red Bull Racing, Racing Bulls brought in Alan Permane to take over as team principal for the rest of the 2025 season. Permane, a veteran engineer and former Racing Director of the team, also spent nearly three decades at Renault across various roles.
In a recent interview with Motorsport, Permane shared his reaction to the reshuffle:
> “I had many reactions to the news: some shock, some pride. It’s extraordinary that they believe I’m capable of leading this team… It’s been a fantastic week.”
He expressed deep gratitude to Red Bull’s management and Mekies for supporting his promotion. Permane’s focus now is to maintain the team’s progress and aim to be the leader of the midfield pack:
> “The goal is to be at the top of the midfield teams. We’re fully engaged in this fight and will continue to fight throughout the year.”
He also acknowledged the groundwork laid by Mekies and Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, emphasizing his intent to preserve the team’s current momentum.
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Zak Brown Weighs in on Horner’s Departure
McLaren CEO Zak Brown also spoke out about Horner’s sacking, telling TSN he wasn’t surprised by the outcome:
> “Maybe the timing, but not the result… It doesn’t seem like that drama has been calming down—maybe been getting worse.”
Brown noted that despite the ongoing internal issues, Red Bull remains a competitive threat with Max Verstappen still in title contention.
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Behind the Scenes of Red Bull’s Turmoil
Christian Horner’s exit comes amid growing internal conflict within Red Bull. The team has been divided into three main camps since early 2024: Horner aligning with the Yoovidhya family (the Thai majority stakeholders), Max Verstappen standing with advisor Helmut Marko, and the Austrian leadership side led by Oliver Mintzlaff.
With power dynamics shifting rapidly and tensions escalating, the shake-up at Red Bull and Racing Bulls appears to be both a strategic and necessary move as the teams look to reset heading into the latter half of the 2025 season.