Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Aston Martin has identified Jonathan Wheatley as a candidate to become team principal, according to multiple reports, a move designed to let Adrian Newey focus only on car development. Wheatley left Audi with immediate effect this week. The team has not confirmed the plan, and owner Lawrence Stroll has publicly backed Newey’s role at the outfit.
Wheatley’s sudden exit from Audi has made him the leading name linked to Aston Martin’s search for a day-to-day leader. Any switch would likely face a delay because of contractual gardening leave. Talks have not been finalized, and no timeline has been set in public.
Newey joined Aston Martin in 2025 as Managing Technical Partner and took on the team principal title late that year. The proposed reshuffle would return him to a full technical brief. The goal is to concentrate his time on design direction and development, while a new hire runs race and factory operations.
The push for change follows a poor start to the 2026 season. The AMR chassis has trailed front-running rivals, and Honda power unit vibration and reliability problems have added to the deficit. The team believes Newey’s strongest impact comes from leading the car project, not handling staff and operational management.
Stroll issued a statement that framed Aston Martin as not using a traditional team principal structure. He called Newey a partner and an important shareholder. He also said the team would not engage in media speculation about personnel moves. Audi confirmed Wheatley’s departure and said Mattia Binotto will oversee Audi’s Formula 1 program on an interim basis.
Other figures have been linked to Aston Martin’s search. Reports have mentioned Gianpiero Lambiase, Christian Horner, and Andreas Seidl. Those approaches have been rebuffed or ruled out. The recruitment process is expected to take months. Even if Aston Martin reaches an agreement with a candidate, existing contracts could delay any appointment.
For now, Newey remains at the helm while leading technical development. Aston Martin continues work on fixes for the current car and on midseason power unit mitigation with Honda, though the team has given no public targets for upgrades. The leadership question sits alongside that effort. Aston Martin wants a structure that puts Newey on the factory floor and in the wind tunnel as much as possible, with a specialist manager handling the rest.
Wheatley’s availability has sharpened the team’s focus on external options, but no formal offer has been announced. Any move would require navigating release terms and notice periods. Audi’s interim arrangement under Binotto signals the change on its side, while Aston Martin keeps its plans in-house. The team says it will comment only when decisions are made, and it continues to present Newey as a long-term partner in its project.