Breaking: Audi drop huge bombshell team principal announcement

Audi has confirmed that Jonathan Wheatley is to leave his role as team principal.

Wheatley was only appointed to the position on April 1 last year, but is now expected to take over from Adrian Newey as team boss of Aston Martin.

The 58-year-old performed exceptionally during his 12 months at the helm of the Hinwil-based squad, taking over in its final year as Sauber, albeit operating under the 'Stake/Kick' branding, ahead of it transitioning into the Audi works team.

After finishing last in the constructors' championship in 2024, with the team scoring a miserable four points, Sauber rose a position to ninth last season, but delivered strong results from the midway point of the season.

The most notable was Nico Hulkenberg's third place in the British Grand Prix, ending the German driver's astonishing run of 238 race starts without a podium.

After two grands prix of this year as Audi, however, the German manufacturer has announced that Wheatley is departing.

A team statement read: "As it continues its journey towards the front of the grid, Audi Revolut F1 Team will implement significant changes to its senior management structure.

"Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect. The team thanks Jonathan for his contribution to the project and wishes him the best for his future endeavours.

"Mattia Binotto, head of Audi F1 project, will continue leading the team while taking on additional responsibilities as team principal.

"Since joining at the helm of the project in 2024, Mattia has been in charge of the transformation of the team as Audi prepared for and ultimately entered F1 as a chassis and power unit manufacturer.

"The team's future structure will be fully defined at a later stage, as the organisation continues to adapt to the evolving environment of Formula 1.

"With the unwavering commitment of AUDI AG, Audi Revolut F1 Team will continue progressing towards challenging for championships by 2030."

It is now anticipated that Wheatley, who spent 19 seasons with Red Bull before moving to Sauber, will join Aston Martin to again work alongside Newey, who will revert to his initially appointed position of managing technical partner.

Newey took on the additional responsibility of team principal in November last year after Aston Martin moved Andy Cowell aside to another senior position within the organisation.

Newey, the most decorated designer in F1 history, has overseen a brutal start to the season, with drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both retiring in the first two races in Australia and China.

The team has endured wretched problems with its power unit from supplier Honda, notably with the battery, leading to severe vibrations throughout the rest of the car. Alonso retired in Shanghai on Sunday due to numbness in his hands and feet caused by the reverberations.

Wheatley's impending appointment will allow Newey to singularly focus again on the design of the car rather than trying to run the entire team in tandem.