BEIJING, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Jonathan Wheatley has resigned as team principal of Audi's Formula 1 team amid growing speculation that he could be set to join Aston Martin.

The German manufacturer confirmed on Friday that Wheatley, 58, would step down for what it described as "personal reasons," bringing an abrupt end to a tenure that had lasted little more than a year.

"Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect," Audi said in a statement announcing "significant changes to its senior management structure."

Mattia Binotto, Audi's F1 project leader, will assume the responsibilities of team principal in addition to his existing role, with the team's longer-term leadership structure to be defined at a later stage.

Wheatley's exit follows several days of speculation linking him with a move to Aston Martin, where owner Lawrence Stroll is understood to be seeking a dedicated team principal to work alongside managing technical partner Adrian Newey.

Newey, widely regarded as one of Formula 1's most successful designers, has served as team principal since late 2025. However, it emerged this week that that arrangement was viewed as a temporary measure, with Aston Martin keen to install a dedicated team principal to allow Newey to focus more on engineering and long-term technical direction.

The Silverstone-based team has endured a difficult start to the 2026 season, failing to finish either of the opening two races and grappling with performance and reliability issues linked to its new works engine partnership with Honda.

Wheatley, who previously worked with Newey during a long stint at Red Bull Racing, has emerged as a leading candidate to fill that vacancy.

While Aston Martin has yet to formally confirm its interest, multiple reports indicate that he is a preferred choice within the organization.

Any move for Wheatley is unlikely to be immediate. The Briton may be obliged to see out a period of gardening leave potentially lasting several months before he can officially begin work elsewhere.

Audi did not address Wheatley's future destination, but sources have indicated that personal factors, including a desire to return to Britain and tension in his relationship with Binotto, played a role in his departure.

His exit also comes against the backdrop of internal changes within Audi's F1 project. Since 2024, the team has undergone multiple leadership reshuffles, including Binotto's arrival and the departure of previous senior figures, as it prepares to establish itself as a full works constructor.

Wheatley had joined the project after leaving Red Bull, where he served as sporting director and was widely credited with helping to build one of the most successful teams in modern Formula 1.

His move to Audi represented a step up into a team principal role, a position that had previously been out of reach during Christian Horner's long tenure at Red Bull.

During his time with Audi, Wheatley oversaw steady progress on track, with the team developing into a regular points contender in the midfield.

Audi said it would continue to evolve its organizational setup as it pursues its stated ambition of challenging for championships by the end of the decade.

At Aston Martin, the situation remains fluid. Stroll has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Newey's broader technical leadership role, emphasizing that the current structure is intentional, even as the team evaluates its options.

Should Wheatley ultimately make the switch, his arrival would allow Newey to focus more fully on car design and long-term technical direction, a move seen as critical if Aston Martin is to recover from its early-season struggles and compete at the front of the grid. ■