In a major development, Saudi Aramco Aston Martin F1 Team has contacted Audi Revolut F1's team principal, Jonathan Wheatley, to take over as team principal, according to BBC Sport.
Aston Martin wants Wheatley to replace Adrian Newey, who is serving as the interim team principal. However, Newey - Formula One's most successful car designer - wants to focus more on designing cars than managing drivers. Even when he was surprisingly appointed as the team principal, it was never going to be a long-term role.
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Wheatley and Newey have worked together with Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing before the former eventually joined Audi a year ago. He is currently serving as the team principal of the Audi Revolut F1 team, previously known as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
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Wheatley is currently working out of Audi's chassis headquarters in Switzerland. But he could reportedly be interested in returning to the UK by joining Aston Martin. However, any appointment would have to wait as Wheatley still has a long-term contract with Audi.
Aston Martin wants Newey to focus more on car-building, especially after the team's poor start to the season, with the Newey-designed car for 2026 and the Honda Power Unit not quite being up to the mark.
Aston Martin is comfortably last in the standings when it comes to car and engine performance. Former team principal Andy Cowell is working closely with Honda to eke out the shortcomings in the Power Unit.
The potential appointment of Wheatley could go a long way in helping Newey completely shift his focus on building and bettering the car for not just 2026 but also 2027, with Aston Martin looking to attract a top-class driver like Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc or any other top-class drivers.
What is particularly interesting in this entire saga is the fate of Christian Horner, who has reportedly met Lawrence Stroll. However, with Newey still in charge, it appears the team is opting for a less-controversial option in the form of Jonathan Wheatley.
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