Jaguar appoints Director of Engineering.

Jaguar Racing today announced that Ian Pocock, will join the team as Director of Engineering from 13th February 2003. Pocock joins Jaguar Racing from Pi Research where his most recent role was Engineering Director.

Pocock took the lead role on producing the latest generation of Pi's data viewing software tools. In 2000 he was responsible for the Ford World Rally Car electronics programme and subsequently promoted to Engineering Director in August 2001.

At Jaguar Racing, therefore, two people will henceforth fulfil the technical director's role: Ian Pocock (engineering director) and Malcolm Oastler (chief engineer).

Pocock will look after all the management, administrative, personnel-related, financial, budgetary, marketing and strategic aspects of the role, while Oastler will concentrate on the technical operation.

"Ian's role will be focused on the way Jaguar Racing interlinks with Ford Motor Company, with Cosworth Racing, with Pi Research and with Michelin and so on. He will also take responsibility for operational as well as a budgetary tasks while at the same time taking care of all the managerial aspects of running the technical side of an F1 team," said David Pitchforth, Managing Director of Jaguar Racing. "This'll give Malcolm the freedom to get involved at an in-depth level in whatever aspect of the car he wants to get involved in at any given moment, without being hampered by the distractions that would inevitably constrain him if he had a traditional technical director's job description.

"So if, say, he wants to get involved in an aero issue, he'll be able to stroll over and see Ben Agathangelou [head of aerodynamics, Jaguar Racing]; if, say, he wants to get involved in a mechanical design issue, he'll be able to stroll over and see Rob Taylor [head of vehicle design, Jaguar Racing]; and the same applies if he wants to get involved in the areas controlled by Mark Gillan [head of vehicle performance, Jaguar Racing] or our soon to be announced head of vehicle science," added Pitchforth.

"I am delighted to be joining Jaguar Racing for what is a pivotal time in the company's development," said Ian Pocock. "I hope to eliminate, via the application of good engineering practice, some of the more obvious mistakes that Formula One teams can make. And, clearly, I also hope that we'll produce a good, reliable car. Now, I also hope it'll be a quick car - but, more than that, I hope that the performance potential delivered by our aerodynamicists, plus the Cosworth Racing and Michelin engineers, can be maximised in a reliable way.

"And I want that process to improve throughout the year, and throughout the team. And at the moment that process needs leadership, and it'll be my job to provide it," added Pocock.