A surprise change in F1: goodbye after only two races
Jonathan Wheatley is no longer leading the Audi team in Formula 1. His departure comes just two dates after the brand’s official debut, and rumors point directly to Aston Martin.
The team confirmed on Friday that Wheatley was leaving “with immediate effect for personal reasons.” But between the lines, the statement suggests that this is just the beginning: “The future structure of the team will be fully defined at a later stage”.
Binotto comes in for Japan
Whoever takes over now is a familiar face: Mattia Binotto. The former Ferrari boss, who was already overseeing the team’s technical transformation (including new engines), will take over just in time for the Japanese GP next week.
And why this sudden departure? Timing is key. The announcement came just one day after media outlets such as the BBC reported that Aston Martin had made an approach to Wheatley.
“We are regularly approached by senior executives… but we don’t comment on rumors,” said Lawrence Stroll, owner of Aston Martin.
Official silence speaks louder than words. If Wheatley were to join Aston Martin, he would be reunited with his former Red Bull colleague Adrian Newey, who now has a key management role there.
Two teams with urgent problems
The reality is that both teams need quick solutions. Aston Martin struggles with serious vibration problems in its new Honda engine, to the point of physically affecting its drivers.
Fernando Alonso abandoned China due to “discomfort” caused by vibrations, and Newey had already warned of the risk of nerve damage.
For its part, Audi has had reliability issues that left it out of two races, although it showed flashes of pace in Australia. The arrival of Binotto seeks to stabilize this project in the long term.
Meanwhile, everyone looks at Wheatley. His next move could redefine the fight in the middle of the grid this year.
