Aston Martin 'Set the Record Straight' on Adrian Newey Role Amid Speculation

Stories emerged yesterday that Adrian Newey was to depart from his role at Aston Martin as a team principal and move back to the engineering side of the project.

With Jonathan Wheatley of Audi reportedly his replacement, and with Mattia Binotto becoming the new leader of the German team, it seemed both Aston Martin and Audi were both going through a restructure at the very top.

But amid the hysteria surrounding the situation, Aston Martin has clarified exactly what Adrian Newey is doing for the team, regardless of any staff incomings or outgoings.

Adrian Newey is on the 'strategic and technical' side of Aston Martin

Adrian Newey. Aston Martin — Adrian Newey is perhaps the most legendary engineer within F1 of all time, having had an illustrious spell with Red Bull for two decades. | Aston Martin Press Release

Adrian Newey has been colloquially referred to as the boss of Aston Martin ever since stepping into the role after Andy Cowell transferred to the position of chief strategy officer for the British team.

But a recent statement from Aston Martin's executive chairman Lawrence Stroll has specified what exactly it is that Newey does for the team, and that he was never officially a 'team principal' at any point.

“With the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey’s role in our team, I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

"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."
Stroll on Newey

Instead, it is revealed that Newey is in fact Aston Martin Racing's Managing Technical Director, which is traditionally a more senior role that puts an emphasis on strategic management as well as making sure that the product — in this case, the development of the car — is in line with the greater goals of the business itself.

An update from Lawrence Stroll. pic.twitter.com/wLtZ0ZZpV0
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 20, 2026

The role that Jonathan Wheatley, who was team principal in name at Audi, will take on at his new team is unconfirmed, as the statement does not confirm any new acquisitions the company has made or any changes in positions.

"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.”
Stroll on Newey's position

This situation comes at a time when the team will be looking ahead to next week's Japanese Grand Prix as an event to get back on track, both literally and figuratively — and whether Johnathan Wheatley will be with the team at that point is not yet known.

Regardless of when, or even if, any movement between Audi and Aston Martin occurs, it is certain that Wheatley has departed for 'personal reasons', as per Audi's official statement.