Adrian Newey is set to step down from his role as Aston Martin Formula 1 team principal after a brief tenure to focus on technical matters. He will be replaced by Jonathan Wheatley, Audi's team principal of just one year, as the team grapples with its new Honda power unit's failures under 2026 regulations. This marks the fifth leadership change since Aston Martin entered F1 in 2021.
Aston Martin is set for another swift leadership transition amid a disastrous start to the 2026 F1 season. Adrian Newey, appointed team principal last November and taking over at the season's start after Andy Cowell, will return to his technical strengths. Motorsport.com and Autosport report that Jonathan Wheatley—Audi F1 boss since May 2025 alongside CEO Mattia Binotto, following 20 years at Red Bull—is poised to become the team's fifth principal in five years, with timing dependent on his contract. The Silverstone outfit has cycled through Otmar Szafnauer (2021, 7th in constructors), Mike Krack (2022-2024, now chief trackside officer, 5th in 2024), Andy Cowell (2025, 7th), and now Newey (2026). Martin Whitmarsh once praised Krack as the 'right kind of dynamic and modern team principal,' while Cowell described changes as a 'natural evolution.'
The switch stems from crisis with the Honda works engine, ditched after Mercedes customer units. Excessive vibrations have damaged batteries (leading to shortages), sparked driver health concerns, and prevented the Newey-designed AMR26 from finishing grands prix. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll retired from the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix, with Alonso citing cockpit vibrations in China and the team placing 17th/18th in the Chinese sprint. Newey has shirked media duties amid the turmoil. The team declined to comment on speculation.
This shock move echoes F1 history, like Ross Brawn's 2007 jump to Honda or Flavio Briatore's 2009 Renault exit post-Crashgate. Fans reacted with disbelief on social media, dubbing it a 'complete fever dream.'
