NOVEMBER 7, 2001
Nick Wirth appointed Reynard technical director
Nick Wirth, the former Benetton team chief designer and the man behind the Simtek F1 squad in 1994-95, is returning to front line motor racing as Technical Director for Reynard Motorsport.
Wirth's Simtek team ran out of money in the middle of 1995 just over a year after its driver Roland Ratzenberger was killed in a crash during qualifying for the ill-starred '94 San Marino GP - twenty four hours before Ayrton Senna perished in the race.
"This is an exciting opportunity for me to join a highly successful company which is renowned for the excellence of its products," said Wirth.
"I've recently taken an interesting and stimulating sabbatical away from motor racing, but I've always felt there's been unfinished business for me in the sport now I'm back to take on new challenges. Moving to the role of Technical Director is a natural progression from that of Chief Designer and I'll be looking to move the department forward, building on the success that the company has consistently achieved over many years."
Wirth will head up the Reynard Technical Department overseeing all the various programs and focusing on the Champ Car program, building close relationships with all Reynard's customers in the CART Series.