Purnell replaces Lauda at PPD.

Tony Purnell has been named as the man to replace the deposed Niki Lauda at the head of Ford's Premier Performance Division, taking on the role of director of technology. The team principal's role at Jaguar is still up for grabs, however.

Purnell, a relative unknown, already heads up another of the Ford-owned companies that fall under its Premier Performance Division umbrella, but will forsake his role with PI Research with immediate effect.

Lauda thus relinquishes his position at the head of PPD less than two years after being appointed, although he has been asked to stay on with Ford in a consultant capacity, and has also been asked to stand down as leader of the Jaguar team.

"Niki Lauda is relinquishing his role as head of PPG and Jaguar Racing," Richard Parry-Jones, head of Ford's Formula One programme, told a press conference in London today [Tuesday], "I have asked Niki to fulfil the role of special advisor to me and I very much hope he will accept the post."

Lauda's departure is the fourth by a Jaguar Racing team chief, following the exits of predecessors Jackie Stewart, Neil Ressler, and Bobby Rahal, and Parry-Jones is keen to fill the void as early as possible.

"We recognise that it is a key appointment and we do not want to leave it open for very long," he said, "I would not say that Niki has failed, but the most important thing [we need] is technical depth and Niki Lauda, for whom I have enormous respect, does not have it."

Lauda admitted prior to the press call that he was surprised by Jaguar's decision to replace him.