Audi Announce New Team Principal After Jonathan Wheatley Departs for Aston Martin

The past 24 hours for both Aston Martin and Audi have been more hectic than any fans might have expected, as Jonathan Wheatley is expected to join Aston Martin as team principal replacing Adrian Newey.

Newey will return to his previous role on the engineering side of Aston Martin's Formula One project, while Wheatley will have the task of leading a team that has seen better days in the sport—and he will want to get them back to that level.

But one question remained. Who would replace Wheatley at Audi? With most teams in stable positions and Audi a risky opportunity given that they are a new team that manufactures their own engine, it would be a gamble for any established name to go for.

Mattia Binotto to step in as Audi team principal while continuing CEO role

Mattia Binotto, Audi — Audi Revolut F1 Team

27 years with Ferrari means that Mattia Binotto is part of the F1 furniture nowadays, and in the latter stages of his time with the Scuderia, he became a household name among motorsport fans thanks to his complicated tenure as team principal there.

In 2022, he left the Italian giants and joined Audi as Chief Operating Officer in 2024 before becoming head of the entire F1 project in the middle of 2025, after Wheatley had arrived as team principal.

Audi's new statement has confirmed what some might have expected: that Binotto will become a full-time team principal once again after standing in as interim for the German team for the first two races of 2025.

Part of the statement reads:

"Audi has made an adjustment to the management structure of its Formula 1 project. In addition to his existing duties as Head of Audi F1 Project, Mattia Binotto will also assume the responsibilities of Team Principal. Jonathan Wheatley is leaving the Audi Revolut F1 Team with immediate effect for personal reasons.

BREAKING: Jonathan Wheatley will depart from his role of Team Principal at Audi F1 team with immediate effect

Mattia Binotto will continue leading the team, taking over as Team Principal#F1 pic.twitter.com/ziqEhn88B6
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 20, 2026

Binotto will double up his workload with Audi, as he has been confirmed to remain in his role as head of the project, and will be much more present on race day and in the day-to-day running of the squad.

The split seems amicable, given that Wheatley is credited for his contributions in the short time he spent with the team, and Audi reaffirmed that, regardless of the change, their goals for the season are still the exact same.

"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. 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."