Jonathan Wheatley Leaves Audi Team Principal Role
Jonathan Wheatley has departed from his position as team principal at Audi with immediate effect, after serving in the role for just one year.
The announcement follows reports that the 58-year-old Englishman has been approached by Aston Martin to assume their team principal position.
Audi issued a statement attributing Wheatley's departure to "personal reasons." Meanwhile, Mattia Binotto will assume the responsibilities of team principal alongside his existing role as head of the Audi F1 project as the company evaluates its future direction.
This decision was made following an Audi board meeting held on Friday, which was attended by both Wheatley and Binotto.
Although Wheatley was contracted to Audi through the end of the current year, the company decided on an immediate termination of his duties. This marks the third management restructuring at Audi within less than two years.
Wheatley will be subject to a period of 'gardening leave' before he can join another team, with the duration to be negotiated among himself, Audi, and any prospective employer.
One of the primary factors influencing Wheatley’s decision to leave was his wish to return to the United Kingdom by the end of this year.
Audi is not expected to appoint a direct replacement for Wheatley. Instead, it is more likely that a new role will be created to oversee the day-to-day running of the race team, while Binotto maintains overall control.
Aston Martin Interest and Team Dynamics
Aston Martin has not officially confirmed their interest in Wheatley; however, team owner Lawrence Stroll has reportedly extended an offer to Wheatley to lead the team under managing technical partner Adrian Newey.
Newey, who joined Aston Martin in March 2023, has been acting as team principal since the previous occupant, Andy Cowell, was reassigned to a different role.
Cowell is currently focused on assisting engine partner Honda in addressing issues with its new power unit, which has struggled with performance and reliability at the start of the 2026 season.
In a statement released on Friday, Stroll reaffirmed his commitment to Newey and their partnership, emphasizing Newey’s critical role within the team.
"I would like to reaffirm that Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR's managing technical partner, and he and I have a true partnership built on a shared vision of success for the company.
We do things differently here, and while we don't currently adopt the traditional team principal role that you see elsewhere - it is by design.
As the most successful engineer in the history of the sport, Adrian's primary focus is on the strategic and technical leadership where he excels. He is supported by a highly skilled senior leadership team to deliver on all aspects of the business, both at the campus and trackside."
Stroll recently met with former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner again this week. However, sources indicate that Newey opposes Horner joining Aston Martin.
Newey departed Red Bull in April 2024 following a deterioration in his nearly two-decade working relationship with Horner.
If an agreement between Stroll and Wheatley is finalized, it would allow Newey to concentrate on strategic and technical leadership without the distractions of broader team management responsibilities.
Aston Martin’s Current Challenges
Aston Martin currently sits last in the championship after two races in the 2026 season. The team faces challenges with a car that is behind its rivals in development, as well as an engine plagued by significant vibration issues and deficiencies in internal combustion power and energy recovery and deployment.
