Jonathan Wheatley set to become new Aston Martin team principal as Adrian Newey steps down

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A report has suggested that Adrian Newey has stepped down as team principal of the Aston Martin F1 team, with Audi’s Jonathan Wheatley being named as his successor.

The news comes after a disastrous start to the 2026 F1 season for the Silverstone-based team, who are yet to complete a full Grand Prix distance.

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been faced with several issues with the AMR26, which are understood to stem from Honda’s new power unit. The engine, developed in line with F1’s new 2026 regulations, simply hasn’t been up to par with Aston Martin’s rivals.

Adrian Newey was appointed to the position of team principal in the latter stages of last year’s campaign and assumed the role ahead of the sport’s new era. However, the 67-year-old’s first foray into team management hasn’t gone to plan, and Lawrence Stroll has taken swift action.

Is Jonathan Wheatley the right man to get Aston Martin back on track in 2026?

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Jonathan Wheatley set to replace Adrian Newey as Aston Martin team principal

A report from Motorsport Italia broke the news of Aston Martin’s latest move. It states that Jonathan Wheatley, who started his role as the team principal of the Sauber outfit (now Audi) last April, will be returning to England in order to turn things around for the British constructor.

Timings are unknown at this stage, due to obvious constraints regarding his current contract at Audi, and it remains to be seen whether the 58-year-old will have to serve any gardening leave before assuming his new position at Silverstone for Aston Martin.

Newey and Wheatley have a highly successful history together. They spent the majority of their respective tenures at Red Bull Racing together, working under Christian Horner before exiting the team at the height of the British executive’s troubles in Milton Keynes.

The report theorises that Aston Martin’s pursuit of Wheatley may have been endorsed by Newey, who won a total of six drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ championships alongside him in Red Bull colours. Newey will, in turn, now focus on the important technical matters at hand.

A successor for Wheatley at Audi remains in question. The Englishman hadn’t indicated any sort of desire to leave his role at the German constructor, especially after bringing the Audi brand back into the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport with such high hopes.