The Formula 1 racing team Audi has to regroup a few weeks after the start of the season after team boss Jonathan Wheatley suddenly announced his departure for “personal reasons”. The German factory team has now made an initial decision on how they want to arrange succession.
The Formula 1 team Audi around the German racing driver Nico Hülkenberg is not relying on a new team boss for the time being, but wants to take on Jonathan Wheatley’s tasks internally. “We are not looking for a new team boss,” confirmed project manager Mattia Binotto, who has initially taken over Wheatley’s duties, on “Sky” on the sidelines of the Japanese Grand Prix.
At Audi, after the sudden separation, there should be a new distribution of roles instead. Binotto wants to first “reorganize himself and reorganize the structure of the team”.
Wheatley had formed a dual leadership team with Binotto at Audi, and shortly before the third race of the season in Suzuka, the racing team suddenly announced the Englishman’s departure. Wheatley was only in office for a year.
Binotto: Wheatley had an “important influence” at Audi
“That was very surprising. Sometimes that’s just how things work out. Last Friday, Jonathan told us that he couldn’t commit to Audi long-term for personal reasons. We can’t judge that, we have to respect that,” Binotto now gave further background to Wheatley’s exit: “As a consequence, we as a team decided to release him from his duties. Jonathan was very well integrated into the team and had an important influence.”
How the F1 team around Binotto will now reorganize remains to be clarified. But one thing is clear: “There is so much to do in the factory, someone has to support me. We have to develop the team and the car and I have to be fully focused on my job. We are now thinking about how we can reorganize ourselves. We now have April off, which is a good opportunity to reposition ourselves. We have a lot of ideas for that.”
It is speculated that competitor Aston Martin has made the 58-year-old Wheatley an offer. There were repeated rumors that chief designer and shareholder Adrian Newey could resign from his position as team boss. However, the team has so far strongly contradicted corresponding reports.
