Jonathan Wheatley’s future remains open, with a return to Red Bull still on the table despite recent ties to Aston Martin. Wheatley recently departed from his role as Audi team principal.
He left just two races into the season, reportedly due to a mix of personal reasons, including wanting to move back to the UK and reported disagreements with CEO Mattia Binotto.
Adrian Newey is believed to have picked out Wheatley as a candidate to take over the team principal position at Aston Martin. However, there hasn’t been any formal agreement between the two sides yet.
Jonathan Wheatley’s Aston Martin move still up in the air
According to Jonathan McEvoy of the Daily Mail, Wheatley could still end up at Aston Martin, but a return to Red Bull hasn’t been ruled out either.
Wheatley was a key figure during Red Bull’s championship runs with both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. He first joined the team in 2006 and took on the role of sporting director in 2018.
There are risks attached to joining Aston Martin, beyond their current struggles on track. Newey previously had issues with Andy Cowell, the former team principal, raising questions about whether similar tensions could arise again.
Red Bull could also offer him a path back to the UK. However, recent staff turnover has created uncertainty within their Milton Keynes base too.
Their situation may not be as dire as Aston Martin’s right now, but Red Bull have also slipped into midfield form this season.
Why Jonathan Wheatley may be tempted by a return to Red Bull
But he would be returning to a very different setup. Christian Horner was dismissed in 2024, and Helmut Marko left at the end of the previous season.
While his exit wasn’t driven by issues with those in charge, Wheatley might find himself with more influence under the new structure, potentially working just beneath team principal Laurent Mekies.
With Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren now confirmed, the need for experienced leadership at Red Bull is even greater. Bringing Wheatley back could provide some much-needed stability after a period of significant change.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
