Jonathan Wheatley relieved of Audi F1 duties in ‘surprise’ exit, claims Mattia Binotto

Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto said the situation surrounding the exit of Jonathan Wheatley came as a “real surprise”.

Claiming that Wheatley had informed the team that he could not commit long term due to “personal reasons”, Binotto said the decision was taken to relieve Wheatley of his Audi F1 duties. While no search for a new team principal is currently active, Binotto stated that he cannot run the team alone, as he will now do on a temporary basis.

Mattia Binotto reacts to Jonathan Wheatley Audi exit

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Wheatley made a very positive impression at the Hinwil-based squad, after arriving in April of 2025. He remained as team principal for the Audi F1 evolution.

But, after just two grands prix as Audi team principal, Wheatley left in a surprise development.

As reported by PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher, Wheatley departed Audi apparently without having a deal signed elsewhere, amid the strong speculation of a future move to Aston Martin.

PlanetF1.com revealed that Adrian Newey, Aston Martin’s current team principal, managing technical partner and shareholder, is heading a search for his long-term successor as team principal.

Newey is understood to have identified Wheatley, his former Red Bull colleague, as his primary target for the role.

At the Japanese Grand Prix, Mattia Binotto, the head of Audi F1, was asked about Wheatley’s departure by Sky Deutschland.

“It came as a real surprise. Sometimes that’s just the way things go,” said Binotto.

“Last Friday, Jonathan told us that he couldn’t commit to Audi in the long term for personal reasons. We can’t judge that; we have to respect it.

“As a result, we as a team decided to relieve him of his duties.

“Jonathan was very well integrated into the team and had a significant influence.”

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Sources have suggested that Wheatley and Binotto had struggled to gel as an Audi duo, and that Binotto had formed a closer relationship with Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.

Also keen to move back to the UK – tying into the personal reasons cited by Binotto – Wheatley is understood to have asked Döllner for an amicable split. It is believed that this, in the main, occurred.

Audi confirmed that Binotto will inherit full control of the team, for now, while Audi F1 brings together its future structure.

Even if no search is currently active, Binotto made it clear that he needs support in running the team long term.

“We are not looking for a new team principal,” he confirmed. “I now need to reorganise and analyse the team’s structures in more detail.

“There is so much to do at the factory; someone needs to support me with this.

“We have to develop the team and the car, and I need to be fully focused on my job.

“We are now considering how to reorganise ourselves.

“We have April free, which is a good opportunity to restructure. We have plenty of ideas for this.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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