Stroll breaks his silence on Newey

The Formula 1 landscape — and Aston Martin in particular — is shifting fast. Team owner Lawrence Stroll has issued a highly personal statement doubling down on his support for Adrian Newey, just one day after the team publicly confirmed Newey as its team principal. But on Friday, Audi F1 announced that Jonathan Wheatley is leaving the organization for “personal reasons,” a move widely interpreted as a response to a lucrative offer from Aston Martin to join the Silverstone‑based team in the near future.

Stroll, however, isn’t acknowledging any negotiations.“Senior figures from other teams regularly approach us about joining Aston Martin Aramco,” he said. “But we maintain a strict policy of not commenting on rumors or speculation.”

Stroll: Newey can lead the team and oversee design

The Canadian businessman insists Newey is fully capable of serving as team principal without compromising his role as the team’s design mastermind.

“With all the recent speculation about Newey’s position, I want to make things absolutely clear,” Stroll said. “As executive chairman and a shareholder, I want to reaffirm that Newey is my partner and a major stakeholder. Our partnership is built on a shared vision for the company’s success.”

Stroll added that Aston Martin is intentionally breaking with the traditional Formula 1 structure.

“We do things differently here. We may not have a conventional team principal like other teams, but that’s by design. Newey is the most successful engineer in the history of the sport, and his primary focus is strategic and technical leadership — areas where he excels. He’s supported by a highly qualified senior leadership team across both factory and track operations.”

From “rumor and speculation” to a confirmed departure

On Thursday, Motorsport reported that Wheatley — currently Audi’s team boss — was preparing to leave for Aston Martin. The team responded by reaffirming Newey’s role and dismissing the report as “rumor and speculation.” The BBC later described the situation as an early‑stage negotiation rather than a finalized deal. But Wheatley’s exit from Audi is now official.

Wheatley, 58, previously served as Renault’s chief mechanic until 2006 and then spent nearly two decades at Red Bull, where he became sporting director from 2007 to 2025 before moving to Sauber. At Audi, he shared leadership responsibilities with Mattia Binotto — a structure that now leaves Binotto fully in charge.

Wheatley’s expected arrival has Newey’s backing

Although Aston Martin has not confirmed Wheatley’s future role, he is widely expected to join as the team’s top operational leader — with Newey remaining the ultimate authority. That leadership hierarchy is the same reason Andy Cowell stepped down as CEO and team principal last November.

On the racing side, Mike Krack continues to oversee track operations, and beginning in 2026, Pedro Martínez de la Rosa has served as spokesperson and public representative for the Alonso‑Stroll driver lineup.

Still, all signs point to a new public‑facing figure emerging soon — someone who will take over media duties and guide the team through its next phase. And by then, Aston Martin hopes its competitiveness and reliability issues — many tied to its Honda power unit — will finally be in the rearview mirror.

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