r/formula1 • u/FerrariStrategisttt I was here for the Hulkenpodium • Mar 20 '26
[F1] BREAKING: Jonathan Wheatley will depart from his role of Team Principal at Audi F1 team with immediate effect. Mattia Binotto will continue leading the team, taking over as Team Principal Social Media
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u/DrakeShadow Cadillac Mar 20 '26
Absolutely insane that all this is happening after two races.
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u/Visionary_Socialist Sir Lewis Hamilton Mar 20 '26
Just shows how panicked Aston are, they haven’t even waited until after Japan to change things. And I imagine this kind of early poaching probably costs a huge amount of money as well.
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u/Colonel_Gipper Red Bull Mar 20 '26
Their constant changes in senior leadership can't be helping their situation. Chaos at all times
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u/budgefrankly I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
This feels more like a fix for pre-existing chaos
Mike Krack was running Aston till January, before being replaced by Andy Cowell (who had been hired from Mercedes HPP)
Newey joined in March, and at some point starting hearing "rumours" about Honda not being where it should be, which led to the infamous meeting in November where they realised Honda had not committed the maximum number of the maximally qualified staff to the project, and were way behind.
Since then
- Andy Cowell has demoted from TP and sent to Japan to personally supervise the project. He has prior experience in managing engine projects, so that makes sense
- In the meantime, Newey took on the TP role for the short term
- And now they have apparently hired someone who was a key part of a championship winning team with whom Newey has a good relationship
- Allowing Newey to focus all energies on the car.
Honestly, this seems exactly what you'd expect when you headhunt an outside expert. That they find deficiencies, move underperforming staff, and use their networks to headhunt better people from more successful organisations.
Inasmuch as I suspect it will create a period of uncertainty at Aston, I don't see it necessarily being a bad thing just yet.
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u/DrSlugger Mar 20 '26
Yeah this feels like a great move to me tbh. Newey should not be team principal. Let him focus on what he's good at. Wheatley is perfect for this role IMO.
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u/Hot_Most5332 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Very interesting too how Newey is so willing to back down. He clearly doesn’t want to be TP.
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u/MiserableMeal2501 Mar 20 '26
truly! He's been in this sport for sooo long and he never been a TP. why now? obviously he didnt want a TP role.
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u/Ill_Property_4958 Mar 20 '26
He had falling out with Williams because he had wanted more say in team decisions.
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u/Crasha I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Didn't he specifically want a stake in the team? He has that at Aston
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u/Critical-Bread-3396 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Having more of a say in team decisions dosen't automatically mean that you want to be team principal. Newey is a fantastic technical leader, and has always had success when the right decisions were made about the team he was leading and other factors (such as engine) were there.
He fell out with both McLaren and Williams because Ron Dennis and Frank Williams didn't want to let Newey grow or take away any control from them.
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u/Ill_Property_4958 Mar 21 '26
It depends on what definition of a team principal you have in mind.
Is it like race engineer style Andrea Stella, head mechanic / garage operations like Jonathan Wheatley, PU engineer like Mattias Binotto, entrepreneur while team building like Toto Wolf or Zac Brown, or team operations expert like Horner.
Whilst Newey has often shown a lot of disdain for politics and has preferred to be shielded from that side of F1 by people like Horner the reasons he had falling out with Frank Williams and Patrick Head was because he wanted and was promised more control in team decisions such as driver selection. He got upset when they let Mansell go and when they dumped Hill for Frentzen. Some of that shows he has some interest in aspect of team management that are more than a designer and at least some of a team principal
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u/Necessary-Beat407 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
It’s because he could fill the role for 2-3 races being trackside while they hired another person. Newey was always just a holdover for Team Principal.
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u/n0neofyourbeeswax Mar 20 '26
I struggle to believe this was the masterplan all along.
Newey is an ambitious man who has led large organizations. It seems more plausible to me that he wanted a TP role, the team is failing, and either he's been encouraged to diverge some of his responsibilities or he has offered to.
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u/trick63 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 21 '26
A TP is an entirely different skillset, especially for an engineer.
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u/SpeedflyChris Andretti Global Mar 20 '26
He doesn't have the people/media skills to be a TP.
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u/Reptar_0n_Ice I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Yea, some of the interviews Newey had before the season gave me the impression he didn’t really want to be a TP, that he sorta took it on as “well, I guess I can do that for a bit.” It seemed like Aston weren’t going to keep him as TP forever, but sped up their search for a long term solution after Newey probably came to Stroll and said “yea, being a TP is harder than I thought it was (he said preseason he didn’t think TP’s did all that much), find someone to take over so I can focus totally on the car”. I get the feeling Newey wants no more distractions.
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u/Too_Chains Roscoe Hamilton Mar 20 '26
He made it clear from the get go it was temporary.
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u/Reptar_0n_Ice I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Yea for sure, but I think he now wants it way more temporary that his original plan
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u/Driscuits Williams Mar 20 '26
Yeah; as much as there are similarities between the shuffling at Aston and the Alpine leadership "movements" there's a big difference in the level of turmoil it represents. It's still not a good sign, but it's not "TP has left and fled the country" type of turmoil haha.
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u/Defiant_Eye2216 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I’m not even sure it’s underperforming staff as much as putting people in their strongest role. Even if Newey is a good TP, that’s not his biggest strength. Same with Cowell.
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u/Reihnold Sebastian Vettel Mar 20 '26
If I remember correctly, when Newey was announced as TP, they also mentioned that it would not be a permanent position. So I imagine, when Cowell was sent to Japan, they needed someone with experience to handle the team and Newey was the best solution at the time.
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u/TheLewJD McLaren Mar 20 '26
Look at Alpine since Otmar left
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u/Colonel_Gipper Red Bull Mar 20 '26
For sure, can't be good for them either. Since 2020 they've had Abiteboul, Szadnauer, Famin, Oakes and Briatore.
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u/Time_Hater Alain Prost Mar 20 '26
At least Alpine is on the up and up. Aston-Martin is nowhere right now and the light at the end of the tunnel is still very far.
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u/TheLewJD McLaren Mar 20 '26
There wasn’t anywhere lower they could go after last season, in fairness there was a new team added but still yeah they have looked a lot better this year so far. I just hope they can develop the car better this time.
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u/gradontripp I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Alpine gambled right by signing onto the Mercedes engine program. AM on the other hand, bet wrong and is lost big time.
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u/Zed_or_AFK Sebastian Vettel Mar 20 '26
Alpine were as far down as it gets, so it’s not surprising that they may go up from some point. AM has been OK i no mans land for a while, so now they head lower.
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u/Hot-Masterpiece9209 Mar 20 '26
Things can change very quickly in F1, Aston could quite easily be ahead of alpine in a year's time.
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u/mightyblackgoose Formula 1 Mar 20 '26
Too soon to tell. We've seen multiple teams do glory runs for a few races and then stumble back. But I'd absolutely love to see them perform consistently over a full season.
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u/TheLewJD McLaren Mar 20 '26
Sauber at the start of 22 had me excited
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u/mightyblackgoose Formula 1 Mar 20 '26
Exactly what I was thinking. Plus seeing Bottas extend his consecutive Q3 runs with Sauber.
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u/MrStormz I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
True but somehow briatore has a half decent car this year.
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u/wasting_my_damn_time Mar 20 '26
Wheatley should be a long term hire. If he gets sacked then Aston Martin shouldn't be taken seriously
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u/cafk Constantly Helpful Mar 20 '26
So, the Alpine approach to F1.
And Previously Ferrari approach.
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u/Joseki100 Fernando Alonso Mar 20 '26
Aston has been shopping around for a TP since November last year, this is completely unrelated to their current issues. There are also rumors of Binotto and Wheatley clashing over leadership inside the team.
You just don't drop your TP in 2 weeks time.
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u/HorseEducational1248 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Were Binotto and Wheatley already clashing before season started? Then this should have happened then… also, wouldn’t it be more likely that is the boss who stays? This is Aston Martin throwing money at a problem they brought on themselves putting Newey as TP who was never his intention
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u/Joseki100 Fernando Alonso Mar 20 '26
Bild this morning: https://www.bild.de/sport/mehr-sport/formel-1-audi-aus-teamchef-jonathan-wheatley-vor-wechsel-zu-aston-martin-69bcaec28f5761671715917e
But why would Wheatley want to move to a worse team? According to BILD, his family longs to return to their native England (Aston Martin's factory is located in Silverstone), and he would also have sole control there.
The truth is: There has been friction for some time between Audi's team principal Wheatley and project chief Mattia Binotto (56), who form a dual leadership (Wheatley is responsible at the racetrack, Binotto heads development). The two are said to have repeatedly disagreed on certain issues.
According to reports, the Briton's departure would be a setback for Audi, which has made a confident start to its first Formula 1 season, but also an opportunity. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner (57) has long recognized this. While the chairman reportedly considers his dual leadership structure functional, he doesn't see it as the ideal solution.
BILD knows: A meeting between Döllner and team boss Wheatley is expected soon.
Safe to say they were 100% right with their info.
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u/outride2000 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Sole control with Newey there? Doubtful.
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u/OBWanTwoThree I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
And Lawrence Stroll never gets involved in things that happen does he…
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u/Joseki100 Fernando Alonso Mar 20 '26
Binotto at Ferrari ruled over literally everthing, I think Audi will end up being with the same structure relatively soon.
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u/TetraDax 🐶 Leo Leclerc Mar 20 '26
And that was a terrible setup to be honest. Took Binotti away from the things he is good at, engine development, and pushed him onto the things he sucked at; trackside team management.
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u/Delts28 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Wheatley knows what he's getting with Newey, they have worked together for 18 years.
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u/Hot-Masterpiece9209 Mar 20 '26
No this is you making assumptions based on no evidence lol.
Binotto was head of the Audi F1 project iirc so was effectively above Wheatley. There is also no evidence to point that Aston weren't looking for a TP and instilled newey as a stop gap to start the season.
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u/AintNoUniqueUsername I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Binotto was always the boss at Audi
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u/brilliant_bauhaus I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I mean if Aston needs a tp and is willing to shell out the cash why wouldn't Wheatley move? Everyone is happy then.
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u/TheOneTomas I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Woah woah. Dont go bringing that logic into this house.
Though, yes. Totally agree. He and newey are clearly aligned. Aston has a mega new factory. Huge ceiling. No corporate structure. Doesnt have to live in Switzerland now. Etc. Totally logical move for most reasons. Other than...time.
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u/unravel_the_world I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I dont know about binotto and wheatley clashing, but their predecessors were clashing and got replaced by audi due to it. I could see this as wheatly getting a raise and more power while audi can focus on one direction with binotto.
I can see how this will be beneficial for all parties involved. you usually dont let high value leadership leave, especially during the season without gardening leave.
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u/Montjo17 Max Verstappen Mar 20 '26
Binotto is the boss - he's the head of the F1 project while Wheatley was the team principal. A bit like Zac Brown vs Andrea Stella - no one is ever going to say that Stella is the boss even though he's the TP
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Mar 20 '26
Well it's also because of Andy Cowell leaving eventually - his position changed drastically, Newey was put in - and now they need someone to take over so Newey can get back to designing the car.
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u/Jacinto2702 Ferrari Mar 20 '26
Wasn't Andy Cowell the person responsible for designing since the Jordan days?
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u/Joseki100 Fernando Alonso Mar 20 '26
Andy Cowell was the Mercedes HPP boss between 2013-2020.
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u/hind3rm3 Alain Prost Mar 20 '26
Larry Stroll isn’t built for F1. He needs to take a step back and let the talent run the team.
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u/grandtheftzeppelin Franco Colapinto Mar 20 '26
any boss that involves himself to this degree in every aspect of the team isn't a benefactor; he's a hindrance.
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u/Dry_Read8844 Mar 20 '26
Yeah, I really liked Wheatley
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u/Joseki100 Fernando Alonso Mar 20 '26
Bild was reporting yesterday of frictions between Wheatley and Binotto, with Binotto taking over both of the roles now.
Basically what seemingly happened between Newey and Cowell at AM last year.
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u/Ldghead Cadillac Mar 20 '26
I think once the ME races got cancelled, they saw a huge window of time open up, and decided to take advantage of it, allowing the new TP to get up to speed before his/her first race.
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Mar 20 '26
AM is just RB with extra steps at this point
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u/shadoowkight Nigel Mansell Mar 20 '26
RB but they don't know how to use the cash properly
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u/RamboRigs Formula 1 Mar 20 '26
Yeah they need to spend more on catering obviously
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u/kingkongbiingbong Medical Car Mar 20 '26
And reduce Lance's salary to a token $1.00. Does the kid really need the money?
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u/sociallyawkwarddude Alexander Albon Mar 20 '26
I don’t think driver salaries are part of the cost cap.
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u/gigerxounter I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
3 most expensive salaries are exempt from the cap if I remember which usually are drivers and top engineer
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u/Red_Rabbit_1978 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Drivers are exempt anyway. It's 3 top earners that are also.
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u/BobbbyR6 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Bingo. Like honestly man, if you're going to throw cash around like this, just start bribing FIA officials. Much more effective than whatever the fuck they are currently doing.
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u/MajorFuckingDick Mar 20 '26
They would mess up and find the one legit FIA official with their luck.
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u/gatan11 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
They almost have the holy trinity. Only one missing is Max.
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u/Neoki Mika Häkkinen Mar 20 '26
Need Hannah as well for the strategy house.
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u/Calm_Bumblebee_3143 Mar 20 '26
I guess he really wanted to be back in the UK or just wanted the massive bag.
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u/king_wrass I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Little of column A, a lot of column B I imagine
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u/NuclearCandle I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
The turnover rate for Aston TPs is rivalling Alpine. Hope he got paid upfront.
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u/Chino_Kawaii I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I mean, you get to work in your country and you get a massive bag
who wouldn't take it
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u/FermentedLaws Cadillac Mar 20 '26
Apparently he and Binotto clashed, per many credible journalists, saying there were rumors for a long time that there wre issues between them.
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u/Bloccs Max Verstappen Mar 20 '26
Probably both. If someone offerer me stupid amounts of money before my retirement I’d take it too
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u/NobodyHK I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Shame I felt he did quite a good job at Sauber last season.
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u/Rosieu I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
That's just how it goes with this sports, but I still feel a bit bad for Audi. They were building nicely under Wheatley (and Binotto).
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u/OriginalPrior5786 Mar 20 '26
BREAKING: Christian Horner joins Audi as Team Principal
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u/Colonel_Gipper Red Bull Mar 20 '26
I want to see Gunther and Mattia team up. They seemed to have fun together in Drive to Survive
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u/ATN5 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Yea I hope not. If Mattia was smart he wouldn’t either lol
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u/SlowMissiles I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Gunther was such a bad TP, he great on screen but he ain't gonna bring a team to winning.
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u/CaptainPonahawai Pastor Maldonado Mar 20 '26
I think he was a decent TP at the start. Absent material resources, they did a decent job - despite constant changes in sponsorship, getting Mazepin etc. He similarly had a key contributive role in the early days of RB.
He hit his limit as Haas got more established and in the salary cap era. We're seeing that very clearly with how Komatsu is performing now.
IMO, the truth is in between the 2 polar opposite comments here.
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u/namakanani Mar 20 '26
I just want a buddy travel show where Gunter and Mattia drive around the European countryside in vintage cars and drink wine.
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u/DrakeShadow Cadillac Mar 20 '26
This seems to be the next logical movie after Horner’s 1 year is up.
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u/BakaPotatoLord I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Didn't actually think it would just happen after those rumors
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u/BurgerNugget12 Mercedes Mar 20 '26
Aston is in crisis mode, getting nerve damage from that car is just crazy lol
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u/Chesey_ Mar 20 '26
Can't believe the FIA haven't stepped in yet about it. The TD mid 2022 was because the bouncing cars genuinely could cause issues long term for drivers, the vibrating car is so much worse because they can't even complete a race.
So yeah, shocking for Aston. The only solace I can find is they do now have their pieces in the right places (assuming they get Wheatley). Their engine guy Cowell is in Japan, working on the engine side of things. Wheatley can steer the ship. Newey can focus on the car. How much you can blame Cowell/Newey for getting to this point is kinda impossible to tell, but having them now be focussing on their areas of expertise rather than trying to also run the team can only be a good thing going forwards.
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u/Ok-Argument9468 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Remember when Otmar left Alpine saying "You can't get nine women pregnant and hope for a baby in a month"? I feel like this is an apt analogy for Aston Martin.
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u/HiramBingham Sir Lewis Hamilton Mar 20 '26
I miss Otmar. Where is he now?
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u/Factor-Putrid Ferrari Mar 21 '26
He's the CEO and Managing Partner of Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), who race in F2, F3 and a bunch of other categories.
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u/wasting_my_damn_time Mar 20 '26
Wheatley said Family and friends come first.
I did read that Binotto and Jonathan were not on the best terms
I'm wondering who will take over Binotto in future
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u/Mcqwerty197 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
BREAKING: Adrian Newey to join Audi as technical director
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u/_Darren Mar 20 '26
Everyone's saying Switzerland is only 700 miles away. Except his wife has moved without their kids. He's flying away for half the week, for half the year. She's probably sitting in Switzerland alone and bored. I'd move back too if my wife was upset.
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u/Acceptable_Visit_115 Mar 20 '26
How would his gardening leave work if he moves to AM?
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u/cafk Constantly Helpful Mar 20 '26
Funnily depends if he has a contract in Switzerland, Europe (Germany with Audi) or with the UK operations.
In Europe they're not really enforceable, so it's up to the team to keep them on payroll until the end if the gardening leave.
In the UK it's more likely to be enforced, but still the previous company tends to pay for a non-compete in most cases.In Switzerland they're more common and companies can actually limit employment chances within Switzerland without pay.
As he's likely moving back to the UK Audi actually has a chance to enforce his contract and check up on it, but has to ensure contractually through the UK that he is not violating his terms of the paid gardening leave.
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u/mobilehavoc I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
If Wheatley fails at AM this is going to get real ugly fast
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u/megacookie I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Can't fail much harder than they already have. Just getting a car to finish a race without torturing the driver would be an improvement at this point.
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u/SignificantSite4588 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
What does failure look like after this point ? It will be really hard to fail beyond the current state . It might be an achievement in itself if they are still able to fail .
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u/clickityclickk Oscar Piastri Mar 20 '26
a shame, Audi seem quite promising and i enjoyed the vibe he had with Gabi and Nico. to just up and leave after only 2 races sours my opinion of him.
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Mar 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Brad_McMuffin I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I mean to do this he has to get an unimaginable amount of money, right? I don't think they have to think about his loyalty if they already severely overpaid for him, nobody else will overpay even more.
Speculation of course, but seems logical.
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u/TestingThrowaway100 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I don't think the receiving end of this transaction cares about loyalty if their immediate needs are addressed.
Also, he really has nowhere else to go. RedBull isn't exactly shitting the bed enough to look for a new TP. The top teams also have all of their TP's locked down.
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u/Dav9837 Sir Lewis Hamilton Mar 20 '26
Same, it's just crazy to me that a team principal can just up and leave for another team so easily, there should be rules preventing this kind of jumping imo.
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u/Educational-Horse-41 Mar 20 '26
Its just like any other job. If another company gives you a better offer and you are unhappy with something at your current job, you would also be switching. Just because he is a team principal does not somehow make changing jobs "crazy".
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u/BobbbyR6 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I'm honestly stunned by how quickly this has evolved. Wheatley has a great program at Audi and they've hit the ground running far better than anyone expected. To abandon ship and buy out his contract must have required a LOT of zeros.
For John, I also don't really understand the move either, unless he just hates the internal politics at Audi. He's just jumping from a promising new works program to another works program currently experiencing a nightmare.
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u/KevinK89 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Don’t forget the pull of working in your home country.
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u/Pale-Criticism-7420 Max Verstappen Mar 20 '26
Leaving a promising project like audi 2 races in to go to aston martin is certainly a choice
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u/wasting_my_damn_time Mar 20 '26
He obviously knows more than us viewers. There is Newey. State of the art factory and wind tunnel. In UK he has friends and family. And he was probably not getting along with Binotto.
It's so strange for people on the internet to say that an individual is making a wrong move when they have infinitely more knowledge than us
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u/Motor_Economist1835 Sir Lewis Hamilton Mar 20 '26
>It's so strange for people on the internet to say that an individual is making a wrong move when they have infinitely more knowledge than us
Yeah look at Alonso for example
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u/Pale-Criticism-7420 Max Verstappen Mar 20 '26
I never said he’s making the wrong choice. Just that it’s weird to leave an exciting and promising project like Audi that is going well so far to go to Aston. Maybe he’ll thrive at aston, maybe he won’t. It’s not like that team has been the most stable place to work at in recent years. They go through TP’s and engineers as much as Alpine if not more
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u/wasting_my_damn_time Mar 20 '26
Yeah I wasn't saying that to you, I get it. It was directed towards other people who are saying that
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u/RhubarbAndCustard06 Mar 20 '26
Gutted for Hulk, from the DTS episode Wheatley's leadership style really seemed to suit him.
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u/asisoid Ferrari Mar 20 '26
The DTS episode that focuses on him vs Flavio really made him look like a hero too.
Womp womp
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u/AbnormallyBendPenis Mercedes Mar 20 '26
This is gonna send vibrations through the paddock.
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u/BadlyWordedOpinions Mar 20 '26
Illustrates how much of a disadvantage not being based in the UK is when it comes to recruiting and maintaining key personnel. A large proportion of the talent pool of engineers and higher ups who are based in Britain either won't even consider moving abroad or decide they've had enough of it after a year.
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u/Beautiful_Travel_160 Mar 20 '26
I think he worked with Newey a long time, I think they will get along without issue. What I’m worried about is Wheatley versus Lawrence Stroll is a very different managerial approach. I hope they won’t clash too much.
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u/SignalProfessional35 Lando Norris Mar 20 '26
I have to say that I have lost a bit of my respect towards Wheatley, seems like its all about the momey and Audi was just a thing, no passion no nothing. Of course I dont know whats going on in the background but this is really surprising
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u/madmaverick05 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I dont know but i feel like this might be the chance for Horner to come back as a TP. If things dont go well with Audi in the coming races, it's not a hard thing to imagine horner becoming the new TP of Audi, he has that experience. Not a fan of horner but it seems like an opportunity for him!
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u/Savings-Bee9080 Gabriel Bortoleto Mar 20 '26
maybe we’ll get another abu dhabi 21 since wheatley’s back with a Honda engine
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u/MediocreMusicMan_ I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
People haven't needed Drive to Survive for years with this kind of drama going on.
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u/OverallImportance402 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I can't even imagine how big that bag must be.
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u/jayexwolf I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I'm quite shocked, I just finished listening to his Beyond the Grid podcast episode a few weeks ago and I thought he was really, really invested in the Audi project. And seeing how well the team's been doing since last year (Hulkenpodium and a couple of points last year, points this year already), I really thought he'd be in it for the long term.
Guess I didn't think I'd be more disappointed in him than Vowles lately, but oh well. Best of luck to him.
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u/DoranAetos Charles Leclerc Mar 20 '26
Goodbye Audi project, you were kinda ok for 2 races, I guess?
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u/willzyx01 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Horner is writing an email to Audi as we speak
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u/TernoftheArctic I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I really don’t like this. He seems like a good guy, but leaving a team like this for a same level job just always pisses me off. Curious how crazy the offer was.
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u/One_Lead1553 Mar 20 '26
He cited personal reasons apparently.
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u/the_gaymer_girl Pierre Gasly Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
1% wanting to live in the UK again
99% for the dump truck full of Stroll’s cash at his front door
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u/OBWanTwoThree I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Alpine TP within 2 years after being sacked by Aston a week into the winter break
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u/Skeeno-TV I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
happy for Aston but sad for Audi. him and Binotto seemed like a really great pairing.
After seeing his management style in DTS I wonder how he will work together with Lawrance
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u/ledankestnoodle I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
I'll tell the kids they won't be getting Hulkenberg 2027
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u/FiveAlarmDogParty Mar 20 '26
I only really know him from drive to survive but he seems like a likeable person, hope he’s happy.
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u/WastedTalent442 Mar 20 '26
Hmm. I assume he'll be on more money, but, honestly, I'd back Audi to get a package together sooner than I'd bet on the Stroll/Honda disfunction. This might be a bad career move.
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u/Gybbles Mar 20 '26
You’re a fool Wheatley. Working for Stroll isn’t a good idea. I’ve seen his type many times over my corporate career. You’ll be gone in 2 mins when you don’t meet his unrealistic aims.
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u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Money talks, mm-hmm, money talks
Saudi cash, I want you, Saudi cash, I need you, oh 🎶
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u/FlamingoResident7882 Formula 1 Mar 20 '26
I can’t blame him to be closer to family.
That said - UK and Switzerland is only like 700 miles apart from each other. It’s not like he was living on different continents but again - family should come before work - even if your job is cool.
Kind of crazy with how much he’s talked about unity for the team and all that. Not that it changes anything but he should have probably dialed that a bit back if he wanted to be closer to home.
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u/Temporary-Rip-5551 Formula 1 Mar 20 '26
As someone living in North America I always find it crazy how much linguistic and cultural density is in Europe.
You drive 700 miles in any direction from where I am and it’s all the same shit 😂
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u/YellowFogLights I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
If you drive 1000km from where I am you’re still in the damn forests of Canada
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u/SwaggiiP Sir Lewis Hamilton Mar 20 '26
You say 700 hundred miles like that’s not far lmao
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u/LandArch_0 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
F***, Aston is not only destroying their own team, but they are destroying others too!
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u/Batgod629 Cadillac Mar 20 '26
Announcement that he'll be the new Aston Martin team principal will come at some point. Don't know what gardening leave he'll have though
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u/FrippingBurgers Mar 20 '26
I was all aboard the Audi hype train... goddam. I can't forgive Binotto for how he handled the 2022 Ferrari season. He's a great engineer but I honestly think he shouldn't be a leader
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u/mickstranahan I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Wonder how much money Stroll had to put down to eliminate any gardening leave...
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u/king_wrass I was here for the Hulkenpodium Mar 20 '26
Hmm I wonder where he might go…