Audi F1 confirmed on 20 March the immediate departure of team principal Jonathan Wheatley after two races into the 2026 season, citing personal reasons. He is set to replace Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, with Mattia Binotto taking interim duties at the ninth-placed team amid ongoing struggles.
Audi Revolut F1 Team announced on 20 March that Jonathan Wheatley has left his role as team principal with immediate effect for personal reasons. The team stated: 'Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect. The team thanks Jonathan for his contribution to the project and wishes him the best for his future endeavours.'
The 58-year-old Briton assumed the role nearly a year ago when the team was still Sauber, having previously worked at Benetton, Renault, and Red Bull, where he helped secure world championships. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner commented: 'The team will continuously develop its organizational structures to sustainably achieve our common goal.'
Head of the Audi F1 project Mattia Binotto, 56, formerly Ferrari team principal, will handle team principal duties on an interim basis as the organization finalizes its leadership structure and targets championships by 2030. Audi currently sits ninth in the 2026 constructors’ championship, with technical issues preventing drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto from participating in one grand prix each.
Wheatley's exit follows Aston Martin's announcement that Adrian Newey is stepping down as team principal after three months to focus on technical matters. Wheatley is expected to take the role there, despite Aston Martin's non-traditional structure and no comment on rumors. Owner Lawrence Stroll reaffirmed: 'Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR’s Managing Technical Partner.' Aston Martin has struggled early in 2026, with Honda power unit vibrations causing battery reliability issues and driver health concerns, preventing the Newey-designed AMR26 from completing grand prix races.
Fans expressed surprise on social media, with reactions like: 'Damn, the rumours were true. AM really paid him a lifetime salary,' and 'Oh s*** it’s real. Very bad news for Audi.'
