SEPTEMBER 20, 2000

Jaguar confirm Rahal as new chief executive officer and team principal

Jaguar Racing confirmed on Wednesday that American Bobby Rahal will become the chief executive officer and team principal of the Formula One team.

Jaguar Racing confirmed on Wednesday that American Bobby Rahal will become the chief executive officer and team principal of the Formula One team.

Rahal, 47, will take up his new position on December 1, 2000 after his current commitments with the US-based CART Championship end. He has been appointed by Jaguar chairman Neil Ressler after a disappointing debut season for the Milton Keynes-based team this year.

"His knowledge of racing at the highest level together with his business acumen and demonstrated leadership capability uniquely qualifies him to join us at Jaguar Racing," said Ressler of Rahal, who is the current CART president and owner of Team Rahal in the CART FedEx Championship.

Rahal will hand the leadership of his CART team to Scott Roembke as he is set to embark on his new challenge. The former CART driver's only experience of Formula One was in 1978, when he raced in two Grands Prix for Wolf.

"This is a huge honour to be asked to take this role," said Rahal. "I have no doubt of the immensity of the task in front of me. I feel strongly with the assistance of the fine people at Jaguar Racing that we can realise the potential that this effort represents.

"I am particularly grateful to Neil Ressler for his faith in me. As a young man Formula One was my goal. Taking this new position is in no small way a realisation of that dream. I look forward to the challenge."

Rahal is charged with the responsibility of turning around a Jaguar team that has scored just three championship points in Formula One so far this season.