A report by Motorsport.com claims that current Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley will replace Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, as the famed Formula 1 designer is expected to renounce his position at any moment.
It’s worth noting that neither move has been confirmed by either team and remains purely speculative. However, the potential move is reportedly attributed to the Silverstone-based team’s failure to finish the first two races of the year, and this reorg will allow Newey to focus purely on the car’s technical aspects and how it interacts with Honda’s power unit. Meanwhile, Wheatley would focus on running team operations.
An Audi F1 spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that it is aware of the media reports of Wheatley’s move, but did not provide confirmation.
“We are aware of the recent media reports,” the team’s spokesperson told The Drive. “There is no official update from our side at this point in time, and we do not comment on speculation.”
However, the original report somewhat contradicts itself when mentioning Wheatley’s move to Aston, first stating that it’s set to happen but later noting that the “timing of the move [will] depend on his Audi contract.”
While I personally find this unlikely, given Wheatley’s journey from Red Bull Racing to a short stint at Sauber, then the long road to getting Audi F1 off the ground, F1 is a sport full of surprises. And needless to say, there is some credence to the rumor, given Wheatley and Newey’s long and successful working relationship at Red Bull, where Wheatley served as sporting director and made a significant contribution to the team’s success.
With the Japanese Grand Prix coming up next weekend, whatever changes will go into effect at Aston Martin and possibly Audi will have to be announced in the coming days.
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