Audi F1 Team has just announced that Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley will make his departure from the team with immediate effect. It has been less than a year since he arrived at the team.
This news comes after it was revealed by Motorsport on Thursday that Adrian Newey was set to step down from his team principal duties with Aston Martin and would be replaced by Wheatley.
Wheatley’s journey with Audi F1 Team
The Briton was assigned the role of Team Principal at Audi F1 Team in 2025 after it was announced that Audi would take over Sauber in the 2026 F1 Season.
Wheatley made a significant impact on the team when he first took over as team principal in 2025. He led the team to its maiden podium finish with Nico Hulkenberg at the 2025 F1 British GP.
This momentum continued in the 2026 F1 season. He oversaw Sauber’s transition into Audi over the winter break, and the team was able to debut in points at the season opener in Melbourne. Gabrielle Bortoletto finished the 2026 Australian GP with a P9 finish in the points, bringing the team their maiden points.
However, less than 2 races into the 2026 F1 season, Wheatley will be stepping away from the team due to personal reasons, as reported by Audi.
What’s next?
Head of Audi F1 project, Mattia Binotto, will take over as team principal of Audi F1 Team with immediate effect. Audi states they will continue to release further information on the team’s future structure in due course.
