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Audi racing legend tipped as F1 team principal option after Wheatley exit
Allan McNish has been given a vote of confidence to take over from Jonathan Wheatley as the team principal of the Audi Formula 1 team.
Allan McNish has been given a vote of confidence to take over the reins at Audi’s Formula 1 team by commentator Will Buxton.
Audi may only be three races into its first season under its current guise, but it is already a team in transition, with team principal Jonathan Wheatley departing ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
While there has been much talk of where Wheatley will land next, but far less about how Audi will fill the void left, with former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto stepping in to temporarily take over alongside his existing duties.
Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, Will Buxton believes he has found the answer.
“I believe they need someone to replace Jonathan Wheatley, and I believe they already have somebody on their books who could be either a team principal and let Mattia focus on the technical, as Adrian Newey is going to focus on the technical at Aston Martin,” said Buxton.
“I think, for me, whether it’s as a sporting director or as a team principal, Audi already has the perfect man for the job, and that is Allan McNish. Allan McNish, for those who don’t already know, a brilliant Formula 1 driver, a brilliant endurance racing driver, won multiple times for Audi across the board in endurance racing, was their team principal in Formula E and took them from a team that couldn’t win a race to winning the title within a year.”
While McNish’s time in F1 is largely remembered for a sizable crash at Suzuka’s 130R during qualifying for the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix, his record in endurance racing is astonishing, with three outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As suggested by Buxton, his management qualities were proven in Formula E, and it is somewhat of a surprise that he has not yet been shifted to a prominent public-facing role, with his previous experience showcasing his media-friendly personality.
Buxton added: “He has a proven track record, he is their young driver development coach at the moment, heads up that programme for Audi, so he’s already a part of the team.
“For me, I think that Allan McNish would be able to slide straight into that role. He is hugely respected and for good reason.”
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Allan McNish has been given a vote of confidence to take over from Jonathan Wheatley as the team principal of the Audi Formula 1 team.
Allan McNish has been given a vote of confidence to take over the reins at Audi’s Formula 1 team by commentator Will Buxton.
Audi may only be three races into its first season under its current guise, but it is already a team in transition, with team principal Jonathan Wheatley departing ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
While there has been much talk of where Wheatley will land next, but far less about how Audi will fill the void left, with former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto stepping in to temporarily take over alongside his existing duties.
Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, Will Buxton believes he has found the answer.
“I believe they need someone to replace Jonathan Wheatley, and I believe they already have somebody on their books who could be either a team principal and let Mattia focus on the technical, as Adrian Newey is going to focus on the technical at Aston Martin,” said Buxton.
“I think, for me, whether it’s as a sporting director or as a team principal, Audi already has the perfect man for the job, and that is Allan McNish. Allan McNish, for those who don’t already know, a brilliant Formula 1 driver, a brilliant endurance racing driver, won multiple times for Audi across the board in endurance racing, was their team principal in Formula E and took them from a team that couldn’t win a race to winning the title within a year.”
While McNish’s time in F1 is largely remembered for a sizable crash at Suzuka’s 130R during qualifying for the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix, his record in endurance racing is astonishing, with three outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As suggested by Buxton, his management qualities were proven in Formula E, and it is somewhat of a surprise that he has not yet been shifted to a prominent public-facing role, with his previous experience showcasing his media-friendly personality.
Buxton added: “He has a proven track record, he is their young driver development coach at the moment, heads up that programme for Audi, so he’s already a part of the team.
“For me, I think that Allan McNish would be able to slide straight into that role. He is hugely respected and for good reason.”
Allan McNish has been given a vote of confidence to take over the reins at Audi’s Formula 1 team by commentator Will Buxton.
Audi may only be three races into its first season under its current guise, but it is already a team in transition, with team principal Jonathan Wheatley departing ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
While there has been much talk of where Wheatley will land next, but far less about how Audi will fill the void left, with former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto stepping in to temporarily take over alongside his existing duties.
Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, Will Buxton believes he has found the answer.
“I believe they need someone to replace Jonathan Wheatley, and I believe they already have somebody on their books who could be either a team principal and let Mattia focus on the technical, as Adrian Newey is going to focus on the technical at Aston Martin,” said Buxton.
“I think, for me, whether it’s as a sporting director or as a team principal, Audi already has the perfect man for the job, and that is Allan McNish. Allan McNish, for those who don’t already know, a brilliant Formula 1 driver, a brilliant endurance racing driver, won multiple times for Audi across the board in endurance racing, was their team principal in Formula E and took them from a team that couldn’t win a race to winning the title within a year.”
While McNish’s time in F1 is largely remembered for a sizable crash at Suzuka’s 130R during qualifying for the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix, his record in endurance racing is astonishing, with three outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As suggested by Buxton, his management qualities were proven in Formula E, and it is somewhat of a surprise that he has not yet been shifted to a prominent public-facing role, with his previous experience showcasing his media-friendly personality.
Buxton added: “He has a proven track record, he is their young driver development coach at the moment, heads up that programme for Audi, so he’s already a part of the team.
“For me, I think that Allan McNish would be able to slide straight into that role. He is hugely respected and for good reason.”
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