Formula 1 | Capito took the time to listen to help Williams rebuild
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While the new Williams FW43 will be presented tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., the director of the British team Jost Capito spoke of a 100-day plan put in place when he arrived to help the team get back on track.
Arrived in December 2020, Capito joined a team which had just finished three consecutive years in last place in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. The 2021 season was much more positive, with an eighth place finish ahead of Alfa Romeo and Haas F1, and the new 2022 regulations are a new opportunity to reach a new level.
When asked if Williams was in a period of stagnation before his appointment, Capito replied: « Yes. »
« The plan for my first 100 days was to take the time to listen and…I didn’t know anyone because I had never worked for Williams. And starting the first few months without being able to get to the factory was a strange situation, but I tried to make the best of this situation by conducting individual interviews with all those responsible. »
« I did eight in the first two weeks and asked everyone the same questions. Thanks to that, I was able to get a good overview of each department, the seniority of the employees, what the people wanted to put in place, what they wanted Williams to become and what changes were needed. »
« It was very helpful because it wasn’t about me coming in and telling everyone what to do, I based it on facts and those interviews. By asking everyone the same questions, you can categorize the answers and it gave me a good overview. »
Jost Capito has already left his mark on Williams, having notably appointed François-Xavier Demaison as technical director, he who formerly officiated at Volkswagen, just like Capito.
And to initiate even more changes in the future, Capito admitted that it had to make staff changes in order to influence a new dynamic, while continuing to rely on the members still in place.
« It’s a mixture of both because if you want the team to move forward, personal changes have to be made. Some people have left and others have changed positions, the aim being to create different dynamics and to work more as a team. »
« Appointing François-Xavier as technical director was of course a major decision. It led to other changes. If you put all the engineering under the responsibility of one man, it means that other decisions have to be made. »
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