Adrian Newey is ready to step down from his group principal place on the Aston Martin Formulation 1 group, the place he’ll get replaced by present Audi group boss Jonathan Wheatley.
Motorsport understands Newey will step down with a purpose to focus completely on technical issues, as Aston Martin has skilled a greater than underwhelming begin to the 2026 F1 season. Energy unit hassle with new associate Honda means the Newey-designed AMR26 at present can’t full an entire race.
Learn Additionally:
Wheatley has been working at Audi since final Might alongside CEO Mattia Binotto however will subsequently return to England after simply 10 months. The timing of the transfer depends upon his Audi contract.
Aston Martin’s Silverstone campus is positioned simply 20 miles away from Crimson Bull’s F1 headquarters, the place Wheatley spent 20 years of his profession.
Jonathan Wheatley, Audi F1 Workforce Principal
Picture by: Dom Gibbons / Formulation 1 through Getty Photographs
This chance is enticing as Wheatley is ready to affix at an especially tough time for Aston Martin – it could’t actually get any worse. At Audi, loved a sure diploma of autonomy, reporting on to the board, however coexisting with Binotto meant he didn’t have the identical leeway as usually afforded by the group principal function.
Wheatley might have been endorsed – if not recommended to proprietor Lawrence Stroll – by Newey himself, as they spent these 20 years collectively at Crimson Bull.
Learn Additionally:
Newey’s promotion to the group principal function was introduced simply 4 months in the past and was efficient in 2026 solely, so it was short-lived; the present disaster solely made it more durable.
Now, what’s going to Audi’s technique be: looking for a brand new group principal, or restructuring the squad internally and/or selling from inside?
We would like your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Workforce
