Aston Martin is understood to be preparing to remove Adrian Newey from the team principal position, with a formal announcement likely in the coming weeks. The move would mark the latest leadership change at Silverstone as the team battles early difficulties with Formula 1’s 2026 rules package.
Newey, F1’s most decorated designer, joined Aston Martin in September 2024 in a deal that sent shockwaves through the paddock. He was initially appointed managing technical partner, tasked with leading the car project for the major regulation overhaul. In November 2025, the team surprised observers by promoting him to team principal as part of a wider management reshuffle. That restructuring saw Andy Cowell shift to chief strategy officer, leaving Newey in charge of both technical direction and day-to-day team operations.
The dual role raised eyebrows from the outset. Newey was already responsible for overseeing the design of Aston Martin’s 2026 car and managing its integration with Honda’s new power unit. Adding the media duties, commercial obligations, and operational management expected of a team principal appeared to stretch his remit beyond what was practical.
Those concerns have been borne out by the team’s start to the 2026 season. Aston Martin arrived late to pre-season testing and logged the fewest laps of any constructor. Issues with the chassis and the new Honda power unit have continued into the opening rounds. It wasn’t until the Miami Grand Prix, round four, that both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed a full race distance without technical failure.
The slow progress has fueled criticism that Newey should step away from the team principal role and return to focusing solely on engineering. Analysts and former team insiders argue that Aston Martin needs a dedicated principal to handle the political, operational, and public-facing aspects of the job, allowing Newey to concentrate on resolving the car’s performance and reliability problems.
Jonathan Wheatley is now the frontrunner to take over. The former Red Bull sporting director departed Audi earlier this year citing personal reasons, but speculation linking him to Aston Martin has intensified since Miami. Jolie Sharpe, host of the Up to Speed podcast, reported from the paddock that talk of Wheatley’s appointment has become widespread.
“There’s much more chatter now about Wheatley,” Sharpe said. “I think that should be announced… to be the new team principal at Aston Martin. I think that’s coming.” She suggested the announcement could arrive “a lot sooner” than expected, with the team aiming for the change to be in place around race 14.
The timing aligns with Aston Martin’s internal performance targets. According to Sharpe, the team expects to be regularly reaching Q2 by mid-season and views any improvement as a positive step given the circumstances. “They knew what was happening before the season started, and I think any improvement is a big bonus. And they’ve accepted it and it’s not great,” she explained.
Wheatley’s track record makes him a logical candidate. He worked alongside Newey at Red Bull for nearly 20 years and has extensive experience managing race operations and regulatory matters. His appointment would allow Newey to refocus on the technical side, where Aston Martin hopes his expertise can deliver gains for the 2026 regulations.
Neither Aston Martin nor Wheatley has commented on the speculation. For now, Newey remains in both roles, but the consensus in the paddock is that a split is imminent. If it happens, it would represent another significant step in Lawrence Stroll’s push to turn Aston Martin into a championship-contending team ahead of F1’s next major rules reset.
