The Audi Revolut F1 Team has confirmed that Jonathan Wheatley has departed the organisation with immediate effect as part of a wider update to its senior management structure.
The team said Wheatley’s exit was due to personal reasons, thanking him for his contribution to the project as Audi prepares to establish itself as a full works entrant in Formula 1.
Following the change, Mattia Binotto will take on the role of Team Principal in addition to his existing responsibilities as Head of the Audi F1 Project, a position he has held since 2024.
Binotto has overseen the transformation of the Hinwil-based operation as Audi builds towards its long-term target of competing for championships by 2030, with the latest move consolidating leadership under a single structure during a key phase of development.
The team added that its future management structure will be defined at a later stage as the organisation continues to evolve.
Wheatley’s departure comes amid wider speculation around his next move, with reports suggesting he could take on the Team Principal role at Aston Martin.
Those reports indicate that incumbent Adrian Newey could return to a more technical focus within the team as it looks to address recent performance challenges.
Shortly after Wheatley’s departure was confirmed by Audi, Aston owner Lawerence Stroll issued a statement laying out the situation regarding Newey.
“With the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey’s role in our team, I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight,” it said.
“As Executive Chairman and Controlling Shareholder, I would like to reaffirm that Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR’s Managing Technical Partner, and he and I have a true partnership built on a shared vision of success for the company.
“We do things differently here, and while we don’t currently adopt the traditional Team Principal role that you see elsewhere – it is by design.
“As the most successful engineer in the history of the sport, Adrian’s primary focus is on the strategic and technical leadership where he excels. He is supported by a highly skilled Senior Leadership Team to deliver on all aspects of the business, both at the Campus and trackside.
“We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join Aston Martin Aramco, but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumour and speculation”.
