David Coulthard tells Aston Martin staff not to be fooled by Jonathan Wheatley’s friendly reputation
· Yahoo Sports
David Coulthard has described Jonathan Wheatley as a “fighter” in a message that Aston Martin staff should pay attention to.
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Just before the Japanese Grand Prix, Audi confirmed that their team principal, Jonathan Wheatley, had stepped down from his position with immediate effect.
He won’t be with Audi this weekend at Suzuka, and while nothing’s been officially announced yet, there are growing suggestions in the paddock that he’s set to join Aston Martin.
Aston Martin have not addressed the rumours linking Wheatley to their team. The Silverstone-based outfit have had a difficult start to 2026 and haven’t confirmed whether they plan to bring him on board during the current season.
David Coulthard calls Jonathan Wheatley a ‘fighter’
During an appearance on the Up To Speed podcast, David Coulthard spoke highly of Jonathan Wheatley, backing him to make a strong impact if he were to join Aston Martin.
Coulthard described Wheatley as a ‘fighter’, someone who has always shown the determination needed to compete at the front, regardless of which team he’s with.
He said, “He has risen up through the ranks, from mechanic, to chief mechanic, sporting director, all the way to becoming a team principal.”
“For me, he is driven, and he has all the elbows out that are necessary; all these guys are driven and can smile on the outside. But when they are in the trenches, he is there.”
He continued: “I think you guys are misreading how cuddly Jonathan is. I know he is a fighter. He will do what he needs to do with a sporting ethic.
I am a big fan; I would have him in my team any day!”
Adrian Newey never wanted to be Aston Martin team principal
With Wheatley potentially heading to Aston Martin, Adrian Newey is expected to step down from the team principal role, a position he only took up earlier this year.
It’s also been made clear that Newey didn’t actually want the job. He took it on temporarily after Andy Cowell left, and was never meant to be a long-term solution.
Reports suggest Newey realised before the season even began that the role wasn’t right for him. This appears to have prompted Aston Martin’s interest in Wheatley.
Aston Martin’s pursuit of Wheatley has caught the attention of other teams, with some questioning whether it might push them close to breaching F1’s cost cap regulations.
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