SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 5, 2025 - Stellantis is preparing a leadership handover at the top of its global motorsport operations, appointing seasoned engineer and team principal Olivier Jansonnie as Head of Stellantis Motorsport from January 31, 2026, as long-time motorsport chief Jean-Marc Finot retires after nearly four decades shaping performance programs across multiple brands.
Leadership transition at Stellantis Motorsport from 2026
From early 2026, Olivier Jansonnie will assume responsibility for Stellantis Motorsport, reporting to Emanuele Cappellano, Head of Enlarged Europe, European Brands and Stellantis Pro One. The transition will be managed jointly with outgoing leader Jean-Marc Finot to ensure continuity across factory programs, customer racing and high-performance road car initiatives.
For Stellantis and its brand portfolio, the move signals a planned generational change at the top of its racing structure rather than a strategic pivot away from motorsport. Jansonnie's appointment keeps technical leadership in the hands of an experienced race engineer with deep familiarity across categories and brands, at a time when manufacturers are using motorsport increasingly as a testbed for electrification, hybrid systems and advanced vehicle dynamics.
A 25-year motorsport career across WRC, endurance and touring cars
A graduate of Centrale-Supélec, Jansonnie brings more than 25 years of international experience leading technical teams in series including LMP1, Hypercar, DTM, WRC, WRX and Cross-Country. He began his career at Peugeot Sport in 1998, before moving to Mitsubishi in 2003 to lead development of the Lancer WRC.
He later contributed as a freelancer to multiple World Rally Championship and endurance programs for Peugeot, including the landmark Le Mans victory in 2009. In 2012, he joined BMW as head of vehicle development, overseeing the Design Office, aerodynamics development and quality engineering for all BMW Group motorsport programs-a role that sharpened his ability to align technical platforms with brand identity and series-specific regulations.
Guiding Stellantis' endurance and multi-brand racing portfolio
Returning to Peugeot Sport in 2016 as Technical Director & Automotive Project Director, Jansonnie led technical teams on major programs including Cross-Country (Dakar), WRX and e-WRX. Since 2020, he has headed the endurance program for Stellantis Motorsport while serving as team principal of the Peugeot TotalEnergies Team, giving him hands-on responsibility for program execution, partner alignment and competitive performance.
"I am pleased to have Olivier Jansonnie leading Stellantis Motorsport in Europe. His strong expertise and wide knowledge of all racing activities will play a critical role in supporting each brand involved in motorsport. I want also to thank Jean-Marc Finot for his dedication to build and develop a strong Stellantis Motorsport team, achieving many victories, 2 world titles and enabling the development of iconic high-performance vehicles across many brands." said Emanuele Cappellano.
Jansonnie frames his mandate in terms of sustaining innovation and competitiveness across Stellantis brands: "Motorsport has always been a cornerstone of the automotive industry, shaping the legacy of Stellantis brands through iconic victories. As we enter a new era of global championships, my mission is clear: to cultivate talent and expertise that will keep our brands at the forefront of innovation and performance. I extend my gratitude to Jean-Marc Finot for his support and Emanuele Cappellano for his trust. Backed by our passionate, competitive, and talented teams, I am ready to take on this challenge with determination and make our colors shine brighter than ever," said Olivier Jansonnie.
Celebrating the legacy of Jean-Marc Finot
Finot's retirement marks the end of a long chapter in Peugeot, PSA and Stellantis motorsport history. An automotive and motorsport expert, he has held multiple positions in the group from 1986 to 2025, working on icons from the 205 GTI to the 9X8. Over the years, he tuned the 1980s Peugeot GTI models, developed the 406 chassis, led PSA chassis engineering and later headed the Innovation function.
At Stellantis Motorsport, Finot's track record includes two Manufacturers' and two Drivers' titles in Formula E for DS, launching the endurance and Le Mans program for Peugeot, restarting motorsport activities for Citroën, Lancia, Opel and Maserati, and expanding customer racing while supporting the creation of high-performance vehicle platforms for Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Opel, Peugeot, DS and Maserati. His retirement becomes effective on January 31, 2026, after which the new leadership team will be fully in place.
Strategic implications for Stellantis brands and partners
For Stellantis brand CEOs, technical partners and sponsors, the appointment provides clarity on the future direction of the group's motorsport platform. Jansonnie's engineering-centric background suggests continued emphasis on:
- Using top-level endurance and electric series as technology incubators.
- Translating race-derived learning into high-performance series production vehicles.
- Coordinating multi-brand programs to maximise shared architectures and investment.
With global championships evolving around hybrid, electric and sustainable fuels, Stellantis Motorsport's leadership transition comes at a pivotal point. A stable and technically experienced head of motorsport is expected to help align competitive ambitions with cost control, regulatory changes and shifting fan expectations-while preserving the role of racing as a core pillar of brand positioning for marques from Abarth to Maserati.
For more information on Stellantis brands, performance programs and motorsport activities, visit https://www.stellantis.com/.