RACING: Wheatley steps down as Audi team principal for personal reasons

Jonathan Wheatley has departed as the Audi team principal for personal reasons, the Formula One team said on Friday, amid media reports linking him with a move to Aston Martin.

Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 project, will also take on the role of team principal after Wheatley's departure, the team said in a statement.

"Due to personal reasons, Jonathan Wheatley will depart the team with immediate effect," the statement said.

"The team's future structure will be fully defined at a later stage, as the organisation continues to adapt to the evolving environment of Formula One."

Wheatley had joined the F1 outfit, previously known as Sauber before a takeover by Audi, as team principal 12 months ago.

Media speculation ramped up on Thursday that Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey was set to be replaced by Wheatley.

Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll said on Friday that Newey was a partner and important stakeholder in the team.

"With the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey's role in our team, I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight," he said in a statement shared by Aston Martin.

"I would like to reaffirm that Adrian Newey is my partner and an important shareholder. He is AMR's managing technical partner, and he and I have a true partnership built on a shared vision of success for the company.

"We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join... but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumour and speculation."

-Chiranjit Ojha, William Maclean and Christian Radnedge/Reuters