Remarkable takeover: former F1 driver becomes team boss of DAMS

Formula 2 has a surprising new team boss. Indeed, the DAMS team has appointed former Formula 1 driver Charles Pic as the new team boss.

DAMS is one of the big brands in the step-up classes and has won fifteen titles as a driver and sixteen as a constructor since its inception in 1988. For example, Romain Grosjean and Jolyon Palmer won the GP2 title with DAMS and Kevin Magnussen and Carlos Sainz won the Formula Renault 3.5 Series title.

The history of DAMS

In 2019, however, founder Jean-Paul Driot passed away. He founded the team together with René Arnoux and was in charge of the team himself. Since his passing, his sons Olivier and Gregory had taken over to make sure the name lives on in the sport. However, Pic came to them with an offer to take over the team.

Pic drove in Formula 1 in 2012 and 2013 for Marussia and Caterham respectively. After this, Pic drove one more year in Formula E after which racing was over for him at the top. At 31, the Frenchman is still young and is at the beginning of a new career as team owner.

Former F1 driver returns

''I would like to thank Oliver and Grégory for this great opportunity to continue the DAMS story. Our families have been very close for a long time, as Jean-Paul knew my grandfather, who has supported DAMS drivers in the past like my godfather Éric Bernard and Olivier Panis, and he also helped me a lot during my career. This is a huge honour for me to continue Jean-Paul’s legacy in French motorsport,'' Pic said in the team's statement.

''I am still very passionate about motorsport, and this is a long-term project. I look forward to working with François Sicard and Rémi Decorzent, who will continue to manage the team on a daily basis and I have full trust in them. I hugely believe DAMS can be successful both on and off-track and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve with François, Rémi and the rest of the DAMS team members.''