Jost Capito will leave Ford and join Volkswagen Motorsport as the German firm continues its recruitment of senior motorsport personnel ahead of the launch of the Polo R WRC next season.

The move was confirmed on Thursday by the German car maker.

Capito takes over management of Volkswagen Motorsport, replacing Kris Nissen, who will be supporting his successor during the orientation phase.

"Mr Nissen has advanced Volkswagen Motorsport in a major way, leading the motorsport team in what has so far been its most successful phase," said VW board member Ulrich Hackenberg.

"He made a crucial contribution, for instance, to Volkswagen having scored a one-two victory at the 2009 Dakar Rally and making motorsport history with the one-two-three victories at the Dakar Rally in 2010 and 2011."

Capito is Ford's director of global performance vehicles and motorsport business development, based out of Derborn in America. He is expected to take a similar role in Hannover.

Capito already has widespread experience of the German automotive industry, having worked for BMW and Porsche in the past.

Capito's move to VW is not expected to have a direct impact on Ford's worldwide motorsport commitment, with Gerard Quinn and Jamie Allison working as motorsport directors in Europe and North America respectively.

Volkswagen's highest profile signing for its WRC assault is Frenchman Sebastien Ogier.

The Frenchman was joined in Germany by former Citroen team manager Sven Smeets and former Peugeot and Subaru engineering guru Francois Xavier Demaison.