Jonathan Wheatley is formally leaving the Audi System 1 workforce, forward of his impending transfer to Aston Martin.
Motorsport revealed on Thursday that Adrian Newey was set to step down from his workforce principal duties, which he assumed below three months in the past, to deal with technical issues – and would get replaced by Audi workforce boss Wheatley.
The choice was made amid Aston Martin’s disastrous begin to F1’s new technical period in 2026, with the Honda energy unit’s vibrations stopping the Newey-designed AMR26 from finishing grand prix races because of battery reliability points and driver well being issues.
The workforce’s downfall happens as billionaire proprietor Lawrence Stroll has tremendously invested in making the Silverstone-based outfit a title contender, with a state-of-the-art campus populated with elite F1 engineers like Newey and former Mercedes lynchpin Andy Cowell.
A mechanic who rose by way of the ranks at Benetton, Renault and Pink Bull, the place he served as workforce supervisor then sporting director, Wheatley has been Sauber/Audi’s workforce principal for a 12 months.
His essential process at Aston Martin might be to place the workforce again on observe – which received’t be straightforward because it wants, greater than something, to get a robust, dependable engine package deal.
In the meantime, Audi clarified in an announcement that head of Audi F1 mission Mattia Binotto “will proceed main the workforce whereas taking up further duties as workforce principal”.
The assertion from Audi continued: “The workforce’s future construction might be totally outlined at a later stage, because the organisation continues to adapt to the evolving setting of System 1. With the unwavering dedication of AUDI AG, Audi Revolut F1 Workforce will proceed progressing in the direction of difficult for championships by 2030.”
Audi at present lies ninth within the 2026 constructors’ championship, with technical points ruling Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto out of 1 grand prix every earlier than these races had even began.
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