In a surprising development, the Volkswagen Group has grabbed the much-famed Jost Capito from the Ford Motor Company.
The 53-year old will head the German company’s Motorsport division effective May 1, 2012, replacing Kris Nissen, who will remain in the company to support Capito during the transition phase and consequently assist the Group in an advisory role, according to VW.
Capito, who is credited with overseeing the development of the original Focus RS as well as the current Focus ST and Fiesta ST models, was Ford’s director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development. Both the North American SVT and European TeamRS performance divisions reported directly to Capito. It is believed that he will have a similar role in the VW Group as well.
It is not known who will replace him at Ford yet.
Capito is an engineering graduate who began his career in the automotive industry back in 1984 as a development engineer for BMW’s high-performance engines before moving to Porsche in 1989, initially heading the Porsche Carrera Cup Organisation and later overseeing all Porsche brand racing championship campaigns.
In 1996, he moved to Sauber Petronas Engineering HG and was Chief Operating Officer of the Sauber Red Bull Formula 1 team from 1998. In 2001, Capito headed to Ford where he remained until today.
Capito also has experience in motorsport and among other things, he has competed in various endurance motorcycle racing and motocross having won several titles, while he also took part in the Paris-Dakar Rally across the Sahara Desert, winning the truck category in 1985.
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