Christian Horner F1 News: Adrian Newey thwarts team boss return

Horner, Newey, Aston Martin, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Christian Horner

Adrian Newey thwarts Christian Horner’s F1 return

Jonathan Wheatley is set to join Aston Martin as their new team principal

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 20 March 2026 19:47

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F1 design legend Adrian Newey has appeared to have blocked a return to the sport for his former Red Bull colleague Christian Horner.

Newey is the team principal and managing technical partner at the struggling Aston Martin team, but reports state that he's looking to step down from the team principal side of things, so that he can focus on his real strength, car design.

Rumours have claimed that Newey has been tasked with finding his own replacement, with Aston Martin on the lookout for a full-time team principal.

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And it appears now that one of Newey's former Red Bull colleagues could be set to take over the role, with former Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley believed to be in talks with Aston Martin over taking the position at the Silverstone-based outfit.

Audi confirmed Wheatley's exit on Friday in an official statement, citing 'personal reasons'. Aston Martin themselves also released a statement of their own, confirming Newey's team role in the team and refusing to comment on any speculation regarding Wheatley.

If rumours are to be believed however, it seems as though Newey has blocked a potential Horner return to the sport, with the former Red Bull team principal having been linked to the role in the past.

According to a report from the BBC, Horner met with Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll this week, but adds that Newey is opposed to Horner joining the team.

Newey and Horner worked together at Red Bull between 2006-2024, alongside Wheatley too, but their relationship is believed to have taken a hit towards the end of Newey's spell at the outfit.

GPFans have contacted Aston Martin for comment on the rumours that Newey could be set to stand down from his team principal role.

Horner's options running out

If the Aston Martin team principal role is filled by Wheatley, then that is yet another potential door for a Horner return that will close.

Horner was axed by his Red Bull team last July after 20 years as team boss in which he steered the team towards eight drivers' championships and six constructors' titles.

Since his dismissal, Horner has been linked with a team ownership role at both Alpine and Haas too, although the Alpine rumours appear to have been and gone, with Otro Capital seemingly set to sell their 24 per cent stake in the team to Mercedes.

Horner held initial conversations with Haas, as confirmed by their current team principal Ayao Komatsu, but that appears to have also gone quiet.

Aston Martin are the other team on the grid without a full-time team principal, and this snub could come as a huge blow to Horner's chances of returning to the F1 grid.

F1 Christian Horner Aston Martin Adrian Newey Jonathan Wheatley