A damp and cool Suzuka is welcoming Formula 1 for its final grand prix in a month, but the biggest story of the week is away from the track.
The sudden departure of Audi principal Jonathan Wheatley has put both the German marque and Aston Martin, Wheatley’s presumed destination, in a difficult spot just three rounds into the season.
The fallout from the Chinese Grand Prix also continues for Esteban Ocon, who has spoken out against online trolls who sent him death threats following a crash in Shanghai.
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WHEATLEY ‘COULDN’T COMMIT’ TO AUDI
Audi drive Gabriel Bortoleto says former team principal Jonathan Wheatley could no longer commit to the team, with rumours still swirling he’s destined to take the top job at Aston Martin.
Wheatley left Audi at the end of last week following reports he had been approached by Aston Martin to take over as team principal for the struggling British team.
His departure was reportedly precipitated by a management meeting last Friday, with the team resolving to nip the issue in the bud once it was clear Wheatley was considering the move just 11 months into his tenure.
Speaking to reporters in Suzuka on Thursday, Bortoleto said Wheatley’s surprise departure wasn’t a surprise given the circumstances.
“To be honest, no [it didn’t surprise me], because I think inside the team we are very clear with this type of thing, so it’s not something that got me as a surprise,” he said.
“I’m not going to lie, it happened very quickly — he joined last year — but again, when you have personal things to put in place, that’s the priority.
“As he made public as well, he couldn’t commit to the project because of personal issues, personal things.
“I didn’t get into detail with him exactly what it is. It’s his problem, whatever it is. I keep it like this.”
Bortoleto made his Formula 1 debut last year, with Wheatley his team principal for most of the season.
The Brazilian paid credit to the influence of his former boss, who he thinks has left a positive legacy for Audi in its first official season in Formula 1.
“He was a good team principal inside the team,” he said. “People liked him. He did a very good job structuring things here. He was good while he lasted.
“He said very good things about me, so I’m grateful for that. I spent good time with him as well when we were on track and I learned good things. It’s still very early stages as well. It’s the first race we’re going to do that he’s out.
“I hope the best for him and his future.”
PIT TALK PODCAST: Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley leaves his job less than a year after moving to Hinwil. Is a switch to Aston Martin now on the cards? And we look ahead to this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
ASTON MARTIN REFUSES TO ENGAGE ON MANAGEMENT RUMOURS
Aston Martin is braced for a tough Japanese Grand Prix as engine works partner Honda continues to battle chronic unreliability, but it’s added management uncertainty to the clouds hanging over the squad.
Adrian Newey, who added team principal to his remit this year on top of his primary role of managing technical partner, is poised to step down from the top job, according to reports.
Stepping down would allow him to focus on the car, with a permanent team principal taking over the running of the team day to day.
Wheatley’s split with Audi last week appeared to confirm those rumours, but he is believed to have not yet put pen to paper with Aston Martin.
It’s ensured the team is battling questions not just about its competitiveness but also about its management structure ahead of Honda’s home race.
Chief trackside officer Mike Krack, who has represented the team in media engagements since the end of the Australian Grand Prix, refused to engage with the question with reporters in Suzuka on Thursday.
“We are now here in Japan, we focus on the home race of our partner, we focus on this weekend,” he said. “We have a lot of work ahead, so I think this is not a question for here.”
Lance Stroll, son of billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, gave little more away.
“I don’t know all the details about that, but I know Adrian’s the team principal right now, I Know we have to improve the engine, we have to improve the car, and that’s what everyone’s focused on,” he said.
Verstappen linked to F1 move to Mercedes | 06:52
OCON SLAMS ‘KEYBOARD WARRIORS’ AFTER DEATH THREATS
Esteban Ocon has called for “big consequences” for people who abuse sports stars online after receiving death threats following a crash with Franco Colapinto at the Chinese Grand prix.
Ocon attempted to pass Colapinto down the inside of the tightening turn 2 just after half distance but made contact, with both spinning off the road.
Colapinto was able to recover to finish 10th, scoring his first points since 2024, while Ocon finished a penalised 14th.
Despite being pinged by the stewards and accepting responsibility for the crash, Ocon’s ordeal wasn’t over, with the Frenchman’s social media accounts inundated by abusive messages, including death threats.
The vitriol was sufficiently toxic to warrant an intervention from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who urged “the fans to treat everyone with respect” and promised to strengthen online safeguards.
Ocon said he wanted to see tough consequences for online abuse.
“For sure any kind of abuse online that we saw should not be tolerated at all and should have big consequences,” he said. “It should not have any place in our sport or in sport in general.
“Keyboard warriors — that’s how they are. I think in the future it’s going to become more of a thing, and there probably will be more consequences for these people.”
Ocon said he had mentally switched off from the worst of the hate mail and said his relationship with Colapinto remained strong.
“To be honest, I didn’t pay too much attention to it, but I’ve seen what’s going on online,” he said. “The important thing for me was really to speak with Franco directly to really tell him what I thought and that I was sorry about the incident, because it was my fault on that one.
“We had a good chat — everything was okay between us of course — and I’m glad that he had a good race nevertheless and he still managed to score points, which was good.”
Ocon isn’t he only driver to have received death threats recently, with Jack Doohan having had his life threatened during his brief stint at Alpine early last year before being replaced by Colapinto.
The Australian had his security beefed up by Formula 1 as a response.