Former Williams Formula 1 Team Principal Jost Capito says it was always his intention to stand down after two years in the role. Capito resigned in December after assuming control mid-way through the 2021 season, to eventually be replaced by Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles. During his tenure, Williams scored a podium with George Russell at the aborted 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, but the team were not able to make the most of the new '22 technical regulations, scoring only eight points and being rooted to last in the Constructors' standings. The German was responsible for promoting Logan Sargeant to a full-time race seat for 2023, as he becomes the first full-time American driver in F1 since Scott Speed in '06. Despite that, Capito says it was always his intention to step down after nearly two years in the role.
Capito explains Williams resignation
"From the outside, of course you don't have the insight [of what is going on]," Capito explained to German publication Autobild. "I originally said I would do this for two years, and possibly a third, but in the meantime, there are so many races, it is quite exhausting. "And it takes longer than two or three years to bring the team back to the top. "I simply believe that you have to lay the foundations first, and once that is done, you can build on it. "I was convinced that this was the case, and communicated it to the board: now you have the base, you should have someone who will stay there for the long-term and continue from there. "We talked about what is the right thing to do now [for the team], and then it became clear quite quickly that now would be a good time to hand it over. "I have already worked closely with James, Mercedes and the drivers [such as Nyck de Vries who subbed for Williams at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix]. "He is very competent and I like him very much, he is also a good person, so of course I congratulated him."
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