In ten months, Audi will debut in Formula 1 as a constructor, taking over the current Sauber team and launching an ambitious project that coincides with the introduction of new technical regulations involving entirely new power units to give greater prominence to the electric component, one of the pillars of the German brand.
Audi’s path toward entering Formula 1, however, has undergone several reshuffles since the project was announced back in 2022. The arrival of Mattia Binotto in July of last year, replacing Andreas Seidl, appeared to mark a new starting point from which to rebuild and lay new foundations.
On Monday, Audi announced another leadership change: Binotto has been promoted to head of the project, while former CEO Adam Baker has left the company by mutual agreement with management. This decision consolidates the main responsibilities under Binotto, also considering that the CEO role has been eliminated to streamline the chain of command.
The former Ferrari engineer will now lead the development of the entire project in a comprehensive way, with two objectives: not only to have a single experienced figure capable of directing operations, but also to ensure better integration between departments, with a point of reference capable of coordinating activities. This is no easy challenge, especially considering Audi’s structure will be divided into three hubs.
The first site will be in Hinwil, where Sauber develops the chassis and which is currently being expanded to accommodate new staff; added to this will be Neuburg, where the power unit set to debut in the 2026 season is being developed. Furthermore, a third hub in the UK will also become operational, expected to open in the summer to attract personnel from across the Channel.
The interesting aspect of Audi’s latest reshuffle is that, when looking at the hierarchy of the future Four Rings team, one can see similarities with the structure Aston Martin has implemented to build its future. Last year, Lawrence Stroll appointed Andy Cowell to lead the project, giving him full control over the organizational structure to maximize team performance.
The British engineer, with extensive experience at Mercedes before joining Aston Martin, immediately made his mark by reorganizing the team to clearly divide roles and responsibilities and, above all, to improve efficiency ahead of 2026, when the new technical cycle begins—something the British team is betting on for its climb to the top.
Cowell’s appointment as Team Principal at the start of this year, Mike Krack’s repositioning trackside, and the restructuring of the team—with performance-related roles split between factory and track—were all aimed at clearly distributing responsibilities. In effect, just as will happen with Mattia Binotto at Audi, Cowell became the central figure at Aston Martin, bridging all departments.
While Mike Krack will manage trackside operations, the technical department at the factory will be led by Enrico Cardile once he joins the team in the coming months. Cowell will serve as coordinator and supervisor of the project, although engine development by Honda will continue in Japan. This decision was driven by Andy Cowell’s observation of role overlaps that had been causing confusion within the team.
The same applies to Audi, which will have its own three key areas: Jonathan Wheatley will lead trackside operations as Team Principal; James Key will oversee chassis development, and Stefan Dreyer will be responsible for the power unit. Mattia Binotto will act as the link between all departments, bearing the heavy responsibility of ensuring such a complex system operates smoothly.
“Every time I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in the transition of a team, it was about creating the right environment for people to thrive. And that environment is absolutely vital, because you can have the best simulators, the best wind tunnel, the most advanced machinery, but if everyone leaves the factory, all you’re left with is equipment. It’s the people who make the team,” Jonathan Wheatley explained on F1’s official podcast, speaking about the ongoing transition.
As with Cowell and Krack, there will be a clear division of responsibilities between Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley between the factory and the track—a dual structure that is almost unusual compared to other teams, which tend to centralize around a single figure for both factory and race operations.
“Binotto’s role is broad, truly important. He’s the overall leader responsible for integrating the chassis and powertrain to create the best possible Audi car. My job, if you will, starts when the car leaves the factory. From that point on, my team and I take responsibility for it. We manage it on track, and my role covers more of the commercial, communications, and race operations aspects,” added Jonathan Wheatley, who was recently recruited from Red Bull to become one of the key figures in the project—on the trackside.
With this new organizational structure, Audi aims to enter Formula 1 with a vision focused on efficiency around a central figure—especially considering that, with three different hubs, integration across all departments will be crucial.
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