(Motorsport-Total.com) – Following the surprising resignation of Jonathan Wheatley, who stepped down from his position as Formula 1 team principal at Audi with immediate effect, the Ingolstadt-based company has not yet found a successor. Project leader Mattia Binotto has taken over the Briton’s duties for the time being.
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However, the 56-year-old Italian had already hinted in Suzuka that Audi would not fill the position of team principal and would instead only look for support for Binotto. Formula 1 cult reporter Will Buxton sees it differently and at the same time brings a concrete personnel idea to the table.
“I think they need a successor for Jonathan Wheatley, and I think they already have someone up their sleeve who could become team principal and let Mattia focus on the technical side, just as Adrian Newey will focus on the technical side at Aston Martin,” says the Briton in the podcast Up To Speed.
“Whether as sporting director or team principal, Audi already has the perfect man for the job: Allan McNish,” says Buxton, bringing into play a person who already works for Audi: McNish currently heads the Ingolstadt-based company’s junior program.
Allan McNish already has connections to Audi
“For those who don’t know him: he’s a brilliant Formula 1 driver, a brilliant endurance driver, has achieved numerous victories for Audi in all endurance categories, was their team principal in Formula E and led the team from an unsuccessful team to winning the title within a year,” Buxton recalls.
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“He has an impressive track record,” adds the Formula 1 reporter, who is convinced that McNish could “seamlessly fill” the role of Formula 1 team principal at Audi because “he is highly regarded, and for good reason.”
Allan McNish drove for Toyota in the 2002 Formula 1 season. The Scotsman also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) from 1997 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2013.
In addition to his active racing career, the 56-year-old served as a driver representative on the Formula 1 committee, worked as a commentator and expert for BBC Sport‘s Formula 1 broadcasts, and later took on leadership roles at Audi, both as team principal of the Formula E team and the junior program.
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