Binotto acknowledges surprise regarding Wheatley and suggests a potential replacement.

      "Honestly, I was taken by surprise."

      Mattia Binotto has expressed that he was blindsided by Jonathan Wheatley's unexpected exit as Audi begins to rethink its leadership organization. The former Red Bull sporting director departed from the Hinwil-based team just after two races into Audi's full-fledged involvement, with his decision coming abruptly prior to Suzuka. "Everything unfolded very quickly. That's how it sometimes happens," remarked Binotto, who is the overall head of Audi’s F1 initiative.

      "Last Friday, Jonathan let us know that he didn’t want to make a long-term commitment. There were personal reasons behind this, which we cannot discuss in detail here. We respect his decision. Consequently, our team has decided to relieve him of his responsibilities." Binotto stated that the announcement was surprising. "To be honest, I didn’t see it coming. Jonathan was consistently focused on his duties and dedicated himself to the team. He performed well, which certainly had a beneficial effect on our progress."

      With Wheatley’s departure, Binotto has temporarily assumed complete control, including trackside operations at Suzuka. However, he emphasized that the current arrangement is not viable. "We need to reorganize," he stated. "We aren’t specifically searching for a new team principal. But now the team and I must develop new frameworks. I particularly need assistance during race weekends."

      Binotto indicated that they will assess changes during the upcoming break in April. "We are utilizing this time to consider how we can better organize ourselves for race weekends. With no races in April, it’s an opportune moment to establish a new structure. We already have some concepts in mind."

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher speculated that Wheatley's departure could have resulted from an internal power struggle. "I find it hard to believe Binotto when he claims he was unaware of Wheatley's dissatisfaction and departure," he noted. "Binotto seems to want to make all the decisions himself. And, in my view, that was the issue."

      Audi F1