A Formulation One group boss — formally known as a group principal — is the general chief and supreme choice‑maker of an F1 group. F1Technical’s senior author Balazs Szabo takes a have a look at the group principals from the 2025 F1 season.
A Formulation One group boss — formally known as a group principal — is the general chief and supreme choice‑maker of an F1 group. Their job spans sporting, technical, monetary, operational, and political tasks, making it some of the advanced management roles in world sport.
Laurent Mekies – Crimson Bull
Laurent Mekies is a French Formulation One engineer and group chief who has held senior technical and administration roles throughout a number of organisations.
He started his F1 profession with Asiatech in 2000 and later joined Minardi, remaining with the Faenza‑based mostly group because it transitioned into Toro Rosso, the place he ultimately grew to become Chief Engineer. In 2014, he moved to the FIA as Security Director and later Deputy Race Director, contributing to main security initiatives together with the halo.
Mekies joined Ferrari in 2018 as Sporting Director and rose to Deputy Crew Principal earlier than leaving in 2023. He grew to become Crew Principal of Racing Bulls for 2024–2025 and was appointed CEO of Crimson Bull Racing in 2025, changing Christian Horner.
Alan Permane – Racing Bulls
Alan Permane is a British Formulation One engineer whose profession spans greater than three a long time. He joined Benetton in 1989 as a check electronics engineer and have become a junior race engineer in 1996, later engineering drivers resembling Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella through the Renault championship period.
He rose to Chief Race Engineer and later Sporting Director because the group advanced by way of Renault, Lotus, and AlpineLiquipedia. After leaving Alpine in 2023, he joined Racing Bulls and have become its Crew Principal in 2025 following a management reshuffle.
Frédéric Vasseur – Ferrari
Frédéric Vasseur is a French motorsport government and engineer who has led a number of Formulation One groups. After founding the profitable junior‑components groups ASM and ART Grand Prix, he entered F1 as Renault Crew Principal in 2016.
He later led Sauber and Alfa Romeo between 2017 and 2022. In 2023, Vasseur grew to become Crew Principal of Ferrari, the place he continues to supervise the Scuderia’s operations.
Toto Wolff – Mercedes
Toto Wolff is an Austrian investor, former racing driver, and motorsport government. He entered Formulation One administration with Williams in 2009, changing into Govt Director in 2012.
In 2013, he moved to Mercedes as Govt Director and later grew to become Crew Principal, CEO, and co‑proprietor, overseeing eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021
Andrea Stella – McLaren
Andrea Stella is an Italian engineer and motorsport government who started his Formulation One profession at Ferrari in 2000, serving as race engineer to drivers together with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
He joined McLaren in 2015 as Head of Race Operations and rose by way of senior roles earlier than changing into Crew Principal in 2023. Beneath his management, McLaren gained the 2024 and 2025 Constructors’ Championships.
Ayao Komatsu – Haas
Ayao Komatsu is a Japanese engineer and motorsport government. After learning at Loughborough College, he joined BAR in 2003 as a tyre engineer and later moved to Renault and Lotus, changing into Chief Race Engineer. He joined Haas in 2016 and was promoted to Crew Principal in 2024.
Jonathan Wheatley – Sauber/Audi
Jonathan Wheatley is a British motorsport government and former mechanic. He labored at Benetton from 1991 to 2001 and Renault from 2002 to 2005, serving as chief mechanic through the group’s 2005 title season.
Wheatley joined Crimson Bull in 2006, changing into Sporting Director and contributing to a number of championship campaigns. He left Crimson Bull in 2024 and have become Crew Principal of Sauber in 2025, forward of its transition to Audi.
Andy Cowell – Aston Martin
Andy Cowell is a British Formulation One engineer greatest recognized for his management in energy unit improvement. After starting his profession at Cosworth and BMW Motorsport, he joined Mercedes and ultimately grew to become Managing Director of Mercedes Excessive Efficiency Powertrains, overseeing the hybrid‑period engines that dominated F1 from 2014 onward.
He returned to F1 with Aston Martin as CEO in 2024 and have become Crew Principal in 2025. Nonetheless, Aston Martin is present process a serious restructuring to arrange for the 2026 Honda works partnership and the brand new technical laws.
Lawrence Stroll desires Newey to have full authority over each technical and trackside operations, whereas Cowell shifts right into a strategic position centered on lengthy‑time period energy unit integration and organisational planning.
James Vowles – Williams
James Vowles is a British motorsport engineer and strategist. He started his F1 profession at BAR in 2001 and later labored for Honda, Brawn GP, and Mercedes, the place he grew to become Motorsport Technique Director and contributed to 9 Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ Championships.
In 2023, he grew to become Crew Principal of Williams Racing, main the group’s lengthy‑time period rebuilding programme.
Flavio Briatore – Alpine
On 6 Could 2025, following the mid-season resignation of group principal Oliver Oakes, Briatore grew to become Alpine’s de facto group principal. He’s not the official group principal, as he’s not an Alpine worker and he doesn’t maintain the requisite FIA license.
Flavio Briatore is an Italian businessman and Formulation One group chief greatest recognized for guiding two completely different groups to a number of world championships. He entered F1 within the late Nineteen Eighties and have become group principal of Benetton, the place he oversaw Michael Schumacher’s 1994 and 1995 Drivers’ titles and the 1995 Constructors’ Championship.
He continued within the position when the group grew to become Renault, main Fernando Alonso to the 2005 and 2006 Drivers’ Championships and securing one other Constructors’ title in 2006.
His profession has additionally included main controversies, most notably the 2008 “Crashgate” scandal, which initially resulted in a lifetime FIA ban that was later overturned in courtroom.
Exterior F1, Briatore has been energetic in trend, hospitality, and varied enterprise ventures. He returned to the game within the 2020s as an advisor and later grew to become a senior chief at Alpine.
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