Jonathan Wheatley Aston Martin confusion explained after Canadian GP paddock sign error
Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley in a press conference during F1 2026 testing in Bahrain
An errant sign in the Canadian Grand Prix paddock suggested that Jonathan Wheatley and Aston Martin are finally an item, but there’s another explanation…
The former Audi team boss has been linked with a move to the Aston Martin F1 team for some time, but a sign at the Canadian Grand Prix isn’t a hint that the British engineer has started work for Lawrence Stroll’s squad.
Jonathan Wheatley Aston Martin paddock sign mistake clarified
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On Thursday, F1 photographer Kym Ilman shared a photograph, taken in the car park at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, showing a sign for a designated parking space for Jonathan Wheatley.
With Wheatley not currently working for an F1 team, the surprise of the image was that the team marked on the sign was Aston Martin, the team with which Wheatley has been linked from even before his confirmed departure from Audi.
Ilman’s caption on the image was, “This sign appeared in the team principals’ car park today, here in Montreal.
“So, has Jonathan Wheatley just been confirmed as Aston Martin’s TP, or is this just an oversight? Either way, it’s fascinating.”
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However, simple enquiries have cleared up that the sign was merely an accident in printing, a mistake made by the circuit promoter in organisation.
“We are aware of the printing error that occurred yesterday,” read a statement from the promoter, Bell GPCanada.
“The issue has been promptly addressed. We sincerely apologise for any confusion this may have caused.”
PlanetF1.com understands that the situation regarding Wheatley remains unchanged: he has not yet signed any agreement with Lawrence Stroll’s squad.
However, this doesn’t mean that Wheatley isn’t eventually going to turn up at the Silverstone-based squad.
As first reported by PlanetF1.com in February, Wheatley has been identified as a key target for current Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey to succeed him in the role he currently occupies, with Newey eager to step back into his originally agreed role as managing technical partner, with his focus on the car design and development.
Wheatley started the season as Audi team principal, having joined the former Sauber squad from Red Bull in early 2025, having spent two decades at the Milton Keynes-based squad.
But, with Wheatley and Mattia Binotto having a fractious relationship in a two-pronged managerial approach, as well as personal life considerations that saw Wheatley eager to return to the United Kingdom from Switzerland, he sought an amicable split from Audi.
Following the Chinese Grand Prix, the second round of the championship, Wheatley departed the role he had occupied for just 12 months, and has yet to re-emerge into public life after Audi confirmed the split.
However, the latest information PlanetF1.com has ascertained is that, while Wheatley is expected to eventually pop up at Aston Martin following a period of gardening leave, no agreement has yet been signed with the team.
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