Sven Smeets is the new Volkswagen Motorsport Director. He succeeds Jost Capito who left the company and will become Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Formula 1 team.
Smeets will take over on September 1st
The team has undergone further restructuring . Lukasz Urban (34) becomes Commercial Managing Director. The Technical Director François-Xavier Demaison and the Director of Engine Development Donatus Wichelhaus move up into the Management Board of Volkswagen Motorsport.
Sven Smeets will be responsible for all of the brand’s motorsport activities
The 44-year-old Belgian has worked at Volkswagen Motorsport since 2012. He joined the team as Team Manager in the World Rally Championship. Smeets became Sporting Director in the middle of 2016.
François-Xavier Demaison also joined Volkswagen in 2012. Since then he’s been responsible for the Polo WRC technical development. He is now also responsible for all Volkswagen’s other motorsport car projects.
“We are delighted to introduce a man with a vast wealth of management experience at the top of Volkswagen Motorsport, in the form of Sven Smeets”, Dr. Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management, said.
“We are confident that we will continue our success story in WRC. At the same time, we would like to thank Jost Capito. Under his leadership the team has won every WRC title for the past three years. We wish him all the best for the future.”
#SvenSmeets will be the #Volkswagen Motorsport Director effective 1 Sept., replacing #JostCapito. #WRC @OfficialWRC pic.twitter.com/VgMJ2EiMlk
— VolkswagenMotorsport (@VolkswagenRally) 29 August 2016
