Audi has confirmed the immediate departure of team principal Jonathan Wheatley, following rumours he was being courted by Aston Martin.
Wheatley joined the team last year, when it competed as Sauber, ahead of its rebranding as Audi’s works team.
Reports emerged this week claiming Aston Martin had approached Wheatley to take over from Adrian Newey as its team principal. The move would allow Newey to return his focus solely to car design.
In a statement, Audi confirmed it will “implement significant changes to its senior management structure.”
“Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect,” it said. “The team thanks Jonathan for his contribution to the project and wishes him the best for his future endeavours.”
Audi confirmed the head of its F1 project, former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, “will continue leading the team while taking over additional responsibilities as team principal.”
“Since joining at the helm of the project in 2024, Mattia has been in charge of the transformation of the team as Audi prepared for and ultimately entered F1 as a chassis and power unit manufacturer,” it added.
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“The team’s future structure will be fully defined at a later stage, as the organisation continues to adapt to the evolving environment of Formula 1. With the unwavering commitment of Audi AG, Audi Revolut F1 Team will continue progressing towards challenging for championships by 2030.”
Newey, widely regarded as one of F1’s greatest car designers, joined Aston Martin in 2025 as technical partner. However he took on the responsibilities of team principal from Andy Cowell in a shake-up announced last November. Cowell, formerly head of Mercedes’ power unit division, took up a new role aiding Honda with its engine programme.
A move to Aston Martin for Wheatley would reunite him with Newey. The pair worked together on Red Bull’s multiple championship-winning programme until Newey’s departure in 2024.
Wheatley enjoyed some success during his brief period in charge of the team now known as Audi. Having been last in 2024, the team moved up one place in the 2025 championship, while Nico Hulkenberg delivered its first podium finish for more than a decade. Audi scored points on its F1 debut in Melbourne earlier this month.
Following the news of Wheatley’s departure, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll issued a statement regarding Newey’s status at the team.
“With the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey’s role in our team, I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight,” said Stroll.
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“As executive chairman and controlling shareholder, 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.
“We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join Aston Martin Aramco, but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumour and speculation.”
This article will be updated.
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