Jonathan Wheatley Leaves Audi F1, Likely Joining Aston Martin
The long-time Red Bull engineer is departing his role after just two races with Audi.
Wheatley Leaves Audi F1, Likely for Aston Martin Mark Thompson - Getty Images Former Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley is stepping away from the team after less than one year on the job, including just two races under the Audi branding launched earlier this season. Wheatley is expected to take the same role at Aston Martin, where he would be replacing legendary aerodynamicist Adrian Newey at the top of the program as part of an early-season restructure. Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari F1 executive currently listed as the Head of Audi F1 Project, is into Wheatley's vacated team principal role while retaining his current responsibilities.
Like Wheatley, he joined the Audi program in 2024. Although he is leaving at a very strange time for an in-season move, Wheatley's run at Audi has been a tremendous success. The team grew substantially in ambition as it shifted from Sauber to Audi, adding its own powertrain department and the weight of expectations that come with a manufacturer name on the side of the car.
Those high hopes have been matched with multiple Q3 appearances and points in the Audi program's first-ever race. Aston Martin, by contrast, has struggled mightily with both its car and its Honda engine to start the 2026 season. If Wheatley does join the program, he will be tasked with turning around an operation that currently has to worry about the dangerous vibrations its car produces in addition to its pace and reliability.
Wheatley had previously worked at Benetton, Renault, and Red Bull in various roles since 1991, collecting eight constructor's championships. He accepted his first team principal role at what was then Sauber in 2024, initially planning to start in 2026 before a major shake-up at the team led him to start early in the 2025 season. Wheatley continued in the role as the Sauber team became Audi, overseeing a successful launch of a new brand and powertrain program before suddenly stepping away.