F1MATHS – Who acted as team principals in 2025?

A Formula One team boss — officially called a team principal — is the overall leader and ultimate decision‑maker of an F1 team. F1Technical’s senior writer Balazs Szabo takes a look at the team principals from the 2025 F1 season.

A Formula One team boss — officially called a team principal — is the overall leader and ultimate decision‑maker of an F1 team. Their job spans sporting, technical, financial, operational, and political responsibilities, making it one of the most complex leadership roles in global sport.

Laurent Mekies – Red Bull

Laurent Mekies is a French Formula One engineer and team leader who has held senior technical and management roles across multiple organisations.

He began his F1 career with Asiatech in 2000 and later joined Minardi, remaining with the Faenza‑based team as it transitioned into Toro Rosso, where he eventually became Chief Engineer. In 2014, he moved to the FIA as Safety Director and later Deputy Race Director, contributing to major safety initiatives including the halo.

Mekies joined Ferrari in 2018 as Sporting Director and rose to Deputy Team Principal before leaving in 2023. He became Team Principal of Racing Bulls for 2024–2025 and was appointed CEO of Red Bull Racing in 2025, replacing Christian Horner.

Alan Permane – Racing Bulls

Alan Permane is a British Formula One engineer whose career spans more than three decades. He joined Benetton in 1989 as a test electronics engineer and became a junior race engineer in 1996, later engineering drivers such as Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella during the Renault championship era.

He rose to Chief Race Engineer and later Sporting Director as the team evolved through Renault, Lotus, and AlpineLiquipedia. After leaving Alpine in 2023, he joined Racing Bulls and became its Team Principal in 2025 following a leadership reshuffle.

Frédéric Vasseur – Ferrari

Frédéric Vasseur is a French motorsport executive and engineer who has led multiple Formula One teams. After founding the successful junior‑formula teams ASM and ART Grand Prix, he entered F1 as Renault Team Principal in 2016.

He later led Sauber and Alfa Romeo between 2017 and 2022. In 2023, Vasseur became Team Principal of Ferrari, where he continues to oversee the Scuderia’s operations.

Toto Wolff – Mercedes

Toto Wolff is an Austrian investor, former racing driver, and motorsport executive. He entered Formula One management with Williams in 2009, becoming Executive Director in 2012.

In 2013, he moved to Mercedes as Executive Director and later became Team Principal, CEO, and co‑owner, overseeing eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021

Andrea Stella – McLaren

Andrea Stella is an Italian engineer and motorsport executive who began his Formula One career at Ferrari in 2000, serving as race engineer to drivers including Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.

He joined McLaren in 2015 as Head of Race Operations and rose through senior roles before becoming Team Principal in 2023. Under his leadership, McLaren won the 2024 and 2025 Constructors’ Championships.

Ayao Komatsu – Haas

Ayao Komatsu is a Japanese engineer and motorsport executive. After studying at Loughborough University, he joined BAR in 2003 as a tyre engineer and later moved to Renault and Lotus, becoming Chief Race Engineer. He joined Haas in 2016 and was promoted to Team Principal in 2024.

Jonathan Wheatley – Sauber/Audi

Jonathan Wheatley is a British motorsport executive and former mechanic. He worked at Benetton from 1991 to 2001 and Renault from 2002 to 2005, serving as chief mechanic during the team’s 2005 title season.

Wheatley joined Red Bull in 2006, becoming Sporting Director and contributing to multiple championship campaigns. He left Red Bull in 2024 and became Team Principal of Sauber in 2025, ahead of its transition to Audi.

Andy Cowell – Aston Martin

Andy Cowell is a British Formula One engineer best known for his leadership in power unit development. After beginning his career at Cosworth and BMW Motorsport, he joined Mercedes and eventually became Managing Director of Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, overseeing the hybrid‑era engines that dominated F1 from 2014 onward.

He returned to F1 with Aston Martin as CEO in 2024 and became Team Principal in 2025. However, Aston Martin is undergoing a major restructuring to prepare for the 2026 Honda works partnership and the new technical regulations.

Lawrence Stroll wants Newey to have full authority over both technical and trackside operations, while Cowell shifts into a strategic role focused on long‑term power unit integration and organisational planning.

James Vowles – Williams

James Vowles is a British motorsport engineer and strategist. He began his F1 career at BAR in 2001 and later worked for Honda, Brawn GP, and Mercedes, where he became Motorsport Strategy Director and contributed to nine Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ Championships.

In 2023, he became Team Principal of Williams Racing, leading the team’s long‑term rebuilding programme.

Flavio Briatore – Alpine

On 6 May 2025, following the mid-season resignation of team principal Oliver Oakes, Briatore became Alpine’s de facto team principal. He is not the official team principal, as he is not an Alpine employee and he does not hold the requisite FIA license.

Flavio Briatore is an Italian businessman and Formula One team leader best known for guiding two different teams to multiple world championships. He entered F1 in the late 1980s and became team principal of Benetton, where he oversaw Michael Schumacher’s 1994 and 1995 Drivers’ titles and the 1995 Constructors’ Championship.

He continued in the role when the team became Renault, leading Fernando Alonso to the 2005 and 2006 Drivers’ Championships and securing another Constructors’ title in 2006.

His career has also included major controversies, most notably the 2008 “Crashgate” scandal, which initially resulted in a lifetime FIA ban that was later overturned in court.

Outside F1, Briatore has been active in fashion, hospitality, and various business ventures. He returned to the sport in the 2020s as an advisor and later became a senior leader at Alpine.

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