Williams to draw on Demaison Volkswagen success

Williams CEO Jost Capito hopes new technical director François-Xavier Demaison's exploits "outside the Formula 1 ecosystem" will provide a boost to the team's fortunes.

'FX' Demaison worked with Capito at his previous post at Volkswagen Motorsport, where he was involved with the groundbreaking ID.R electric race car that broke records at the Nordschleife and the Pikes Peak Hillclimb.

As a fundamental figure in the German manufacturer's dominance of the World Rally Championship last decade, Capito expects Demaison's expertise to push Williams forward.

"Yeah, it matters a lot and for the good, I would say," said Capito. "You think that he is coming from outside the F1 ecosystem, it was always his target to get in F1.

"He is a brilliant engineer and he worked for nearly 10 years now with Willy Rampf who has been a technical director in F1.

"They worked very close together and with that a lot of F1 spirit, technology, insight went into the WRC car and especially in the ID.R.

"So, he has this kind of experience and he learned a lot from Willy Rampf during that time, so I think he is the perfect fit for Williams."

On the make-up of the technical department, Capito insisted Demaison would be given free rein to create his own team around him.

"I was very happy to announced FX as a technical director," Capito added. I found a lot of technical experience within the team and then of course FX has to work on defining his team and what is necessary to add on competence or capability we will do."

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