The backmarking HRT Formula One team have confirmed that former Minardi driver Luis Perez-Sala will be installed as their new team principal for the 2012 season, after parting company with Colin Kolles earlier this week.
Kolles left the team on Wednesday, after having seen the struggling team through their first two years in the sport.
And the team wasted no time in naming a replacement, with Perez-Sala fulfilling the team's new desire to only employ Spanish-born people.
The former Minardi driver has been working for the team as a consultant since July this year.
"From the moment we took control of the team last July, the first thing we did was to study and value where we were, whilst also set ourselves a target and establish a strategy," Excitingly-named HRT CEO Saul Ruiz de Marcos explained on Thursday.
"We have been working discretely but relentlessly towards this for the last few months."
He went on: "We've always made it clear that our priorities were the car, the headquarters and our drivers.
The car is evolving, Pedro [de la Rosa] has been a great asset to the team and we have always wanted to settle the team in Spain and have everybody working under one roof."
He explained that the decision had been taken after seeing the "connection" between Perez-Sala and the team.
"Since we began working with Luis our connection has been great," he blushed, "Now he takes on a much more key role in the team but the decision was an easy one given his knowledge and his way of doing things. It is the best decision we could make.
"I would like to also thank Colin [Kolles] and Manfredi [Ravetto] for their work and dedication in these two years that the team has existed and I wish them the very best for the future."
Perez-Sala himself said that: "This naming is an honour but also a great responsibility. I joined the team as an advisor to the new owners and to contribute with my experience in any possible way.
"We had to establish a base from which to grow slowly and we are now seeing the first rewards of that work.
"But we mustn't lose our perspective and be aware that assuming responsibilities such as designing the car or moving the headquarters to Spain are huge tasks and we still have a lot of work ahead.
"We must be patient and keep in mind that we cannot expect to achieve great success in the short term, but we can take a team forward that we can all feel proud of."
He added: "The simple fact that Spain has a team in the pinnacle of motorsports is already a great feat; we're a part of the G12.
"And that, apart from being an honour, means a greater development to the structure and everything surrounding it."
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