Aston Martin Eyes Audi's Wheatley to Enable Newey to Focus on Car Development

Aston Martin is reportedly interested in appointing Audi's Jonathan Wheatley as team principal, allowing legendary designer Adrian Newey to concentrate on developing the team's car. Newey, who became team principal at the start of the year, is said to welcome Wheatley's potential arrival. This move would enable Newey to focus on the car's development after a challenging start to the season. As team principal, Wheatley's appointment would not diminish Newey's status within the team, with Newey retaining full authority over technical matters as managing technical partner. Aston Martin has also identified other candidates, including Gianpiero Lambiase and Andreas Seidl, although the latter is no longer in the running. If Wheatley were to join, it would rule out any possibility of Christian Horner taking the role. However, Audi may impose a lengthy gardening leave on Wheatley, potentially delaying any agreement until after the Japanese Grand Prix. The team's current performance has been underwhelming, with vibrations caused by the Honda power unit posing a significant issue. Newey has expressed concerns about the vibrations, which could cause permanent nerve damage to the drivers, and has admitted to being unaware of the inexperience within Honda's team. The Japanese Grand Prix, Honda's home event, is set to take place next weekend, putting additional pressure on the team to deliver a strong performance.