Audi has had a slow start in its 2026 Formula 1 debut. The team has just two points and currently sits in eighth place overall after two races. But apparently, Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley has seen enough.
According to Motorsport.com, Wheatley has stepped down from his role as team leader. Audi cites "personal reasons" as the cause for this move—but Wheatley reportedly isn't stepping away from F1 entirely.
Wheatley is allegedly leaving Audi to manage Aston Martin. If Audi faces a rough start this season, Aston Martin is in an even tougher spot. Powertrain issues have kept the British team from scoring any points so far this season. The Adrian Newey-designed AMR26 apparently faces a serious uphill battle this season.
Reports suggest that the Honda powertrain unit vibrates so harshly that it causes damage to the battery system. The cars are essentially unable to complete a race at this point. In fact, Aston Martin has moved Adrian Newey down from Team Principal to focus on the car's technical issues.
Jonathan Wheatley will allegedly jump into Newey's vacated role. If true, there's only upside potential from here on out for Aston Martin. Yet, the feeling was the same at Audi, which is why this move seems so surprising.
We sat down with Wheatley ahead of the pre-season livery reveal for the Audi R26. He seemed excited to helm the brand's first entry into this top-tier level of motorsport. After all, Audi is a company that doesn't half-ass things when it comes to racing.
When Audi competes, the goal is to win—and to do so relatively quickly. Wheatley could've left his mark on the sport by helping Audi fulfill its plans. But the allure of trying to turn around a struggling British carmaker's effort clearly proved too great.
Motor1's Take: Audi cites personal reasons, but we think this is a combination of a move back to the UK, coupled with tremendous amounts of cash. Perhaps Wheatley sees some nationalistic pride in helping Aston Martin attempt to move up in the F1 pack. Regardless, jumping ship from Audi after just two races could signal greater concerns for the four-ringed race team than we expected from such a storied motorsport competitor.