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F1
Audi F1 team names sportscar great Allan McNish as racing director after turbulent start to 2026
TL;DR
Audi has appointed Allan McNish as the new racing director following the departure of Jonathan Wheatley. McNish will oversee trackside operations starting from the Miami Grand Prix.
Key points
- Allan McNish named racing director of Audi's F1 team
- McNish will manage trackside operations starting at Miami Grand Prix
- Jonathan Wheatley left for personal reasons after two races
Mentioned in this story
Allan McNishJonathan Wheatley
AudiNico HülkenbergGabriel Bortoleto
Japan F1 GP Auto Racing
Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil drives out of his team garage during the first practice session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan F1 GP Auto Racing
Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil drives out of his team garage during the first practice session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan F1 GP Auto Racing
Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto of Brazil steers his car during the second practice session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) HINWIL, Switzerland (AP) — Audi has named one of its most successful endurance drivers as the new racing director of its team following the of former team principal Jonathan Wheatley. Audi said Allan McNish “will take on responsibility for coordinating all trackside operations” from next week's Miami Grand Prix, including race strategy and managing drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. McNish reports to team principal Mattia Binotto, who stepped back into that role when Wheatley suddenly left for what the team called personal reasons two races into the 2026 season, Audi's first since rebranding from Sauber. That followed reports Aston Martin was interested in signing Wheatley as it tries to turn around its to the new era of F1 regulations. McNish moves into his new role after a sometimes-troubled start to 2026 for Audi, which is making its own F1 engines for the first time. Bortoleto scored the team's only points with ninth place at the season-opening but he and Hülkenberg have each only started two of the three Grands Prix because of reliability issues. McNish only spent one unsuccessful season with the then-new Toyota team in 2002 but he made his mark with Audi's all-conquering sportscar racing program. He won the Le Mans 24-hour race three times, the Sebring 12-hour race four times and the World Endurance Championship once. He had been with Audi's F1 team overseeing its driver development program and will keep those responsibilities in his new post. \\_ AP auto racing:
Q&A
Who is Allan McNish and what is his role in Audi's F1 team?
Allan McNish is a former endurance racing driver appointed as Audi's racing director, responsible for coordinating trackside operations and race strategy.
Why did Jonathan Wheatley leave Audi's F1 team?
Jonathan Wheatley left Audi's F1 team for personal reasons just two races into the 2026 season.
What challenges has Audi faced in the 2026 F1 season?
Audi has struggled with reliability issues, leading to limited race participation for drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, despite Bortoleto scoring points in the Australian Grand Prix.
