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Binotto Rules Out External Hire as Audi Recasts F1 Team Leadership

The project chief signals the team will prioritize stability over a headline hire.

Overview

  • Mattia Binotto said Audi will not appoint a new team principal and that he will keep the role while reorganizing how the team is run.
  • He explained he will delegate trackside management because he will not attend every race, allowing him to focus on factory work and long‑term development.
  • The shift comes after Jonathan Wheatley stepped down two races into Audi’s first season under its own name, leaving the project without a settled leader.
  • Juan Pablo Montoya urged Audi to consider ex‑Red Bull boss Christian Horner, though Horner’s alternative path via Alpine looks uncertain as Mercedes explores buying a 24% stake in the team.
  • Binotto acknowledged poor race starts and wider early‑season struggles, pointing to Suzuka as an example, and said the April break will be used to work on fixes before Miami.