Following heavy speculation earlier this week, Audi has officially announced a major management restructure for its Formula 1 project. Jonathan Wheatley has stepped down from his role as Team Principal with immediate effect, leaving former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto to take full control of the team.
According to an official statement released by Audi, Wheatley is departing the Hinwil-based squad for “personal reasons.” However, his sudden exit aligns perfectly with recent reports linking him to a new role as team principal of Aston Martin, replacing Adrian Newey.
Binotto Back in the Hot Seat
With Wheatley out of the picture, Binotto will be taking on his responsibilities. Already serving as the Head of the Audi F1 Project, as well as Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer, Binotto will now officially assume the responsibilities of team principal. This will be his first role in charge of a team since his departure from Ferrari at the end of 2022, where he was team chief for four seasons.
“We are grateful to Jonathan Wheatley for his contribution to the project during the crucial entry phase and wish him all the best for the future,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG. “Mattia Binotto and the team will continue to pursue the path we have chosen with determination. Our focus remains unchanged: we are concentrating all our efforts on building a team competing at the highest level that will challenge for world championships in Formula 1 by 2030.”
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The Aston Martin Connection
Wheatley’s departure from Audi after less than a year on the job (having joined the project in April 2025) is a massive surprise, but Aston Martin’s potential (and money) is more than enticing.
As we previously reported, Aston Martin is in the midst of a full-blown crisis. After a disastrous start to the 2026 F1 season plagued by severe vibration issues from their new Honda powertrains, legendary designer Adrian Newey is reportedly relinquishing his team leadership role to focus purely on fixing the car’s severe issues.
Everything now points to Lawrence Stroll successfully poaching the Briton to help pull Aston Martin out from the bottom of the constructors’ standings.
