Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley makes shock exit after only two races
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Jonathan Wheatley, who spent almost two decades with Red Bull, joined Sauber in April 2025. The team was subsequently taken over by Audi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ZURICH – Audi, who are just two races into their Formula One journey, have parted ways with team principal Jonathan Wheatley “with immediate effect”, the German team announced on March 20, amid reports linking him with a move to Aston Martin.
Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 project, will also take on the role of team principal after Wheatley’s departure, the team said in a statement.
“Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect,” the statement said.
“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 One.”
The 58-year-old Briton, who spent almost two decades with Red Bull, joined Sauber in April 2025. The team were subsequently taken over by Audi.
Media speculation ramped up on March 19 that Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey was set to be replaced by Wheatley.
Motor racing website Motorsport reported that it understands that Newey “will step down in order to focus exclusively on technical matters”.
Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll said on March 20 that Newey was a partner and important stakeholder in 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,” he said in a statement shared by Aston Martin.
“I would like to reaffirm that Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR’s (Aston Martin Racing’s) managing technical partner, and he and I have a true partnership built on a shared vision of success for the company.
“We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join... but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumour and speculation.”
Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto posted a ninth-place finish in the season-opener in Melbourne to give Audi their first F1 points, while Nico Hulkenberg managed 11th in the second race in Shanghai.
There were also other team developments on March 20, with Mercedes announcing that Bradley Lord has been appointed their deputy team principal with immediate effect.
“With the growth of our team and F1, the scope of our operations and associated responsibilities at a senior level has grown significantly,” Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff said in a statement.
“We have therefore taken this opportunity to put in place a change that has effectively been operating in practice for some time.”
Lord has also served as Mercedes’ official team representative and chief communications officer.
Mercedes top the constructors’ standings after successive one-two finishes in the Australian and Chinese grands prix. REUTERS, AFP
