On Tuesday morning, François-Xavier Demaison was announced as Williams' technical director. 'FX' comes over from Volkswagen Motorsport and will begin his duties at Williams in April. But who is Demaison?
Dominance with Volkswagen
Demaison was the technical mastermind for many years at Volkswagen Motorsport, where he worked under Williams CEO Jost Capito at the time. The Frenchman was responsible for the ultra dominant Volkswagen Polo R WRC. Four years in a row, this car managed to win the three World Rally Championship titles from 2013 to 2016.
At Volkswagen, FX did more than just rally: in fact, in 2018, Volkswagen arrived with the ID. R race car to the Pikes Peak. An all-electric car that pulverized the Pikes Peak record. Demaison was also in charge of the project when building this car. The ID. R broke several records after this.
Formula 1 is no unknown territory
Demaison is no stranger to Formula 1. Earlier in his career, he worked for Renault and Peugeot on the engines they supplied in Formula 1. With FX, Williams brings in a lot of experience