Audi has appointed brand stalwart and former F1 driver, Allan McNish, to the position of racing director, reporting directly to Mattia Binotto.<\/p>\n
McNish\u2019s appointment appears to be to step into a similar role recently vacated by Jonathan Wheatley, with Audi making a senior trackside appointment.<\/p>\n
Allan McNish appointed Audi racing director<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n After Wheatley\u2019s departure as team principal, Binotto confirmed he would take on team principal duties but added he would need a senior person reporting to him at trackside this season.<\/p>\n McNish, who was previously team principal in Audi\u2019s Formula E venture, has stepped into the role, having served as the team\u2019s director of motorsport co-ordination most recently, alongside heading up its fledgling driver development programme.<\/p>\n The former Toyota Formula 1 driver achieved great success in endurance racing with the Four Rings, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice alongside a host of wider achievements in sportscars, including a World Endurance Championship title in 2013.<\/p>\n He took on a role with Audi Sport after his driving retirement, and has filled a variety of positions within the company since. Now, he\u2019s back in the Formula 1 paddock.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a privilege to take on the role of Racing Director for Audi<\/a> Revolut F1 Team: this is a marque that means a lot to me and it is an honour to be able to represent Audi and our partners on the most prestigious stage in motorsports,\u201d McNish said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an exciting challenge at a pivotal moment in the history of Audi and Formula 1, and I am looking forward to contributing even more directly to our trackside performance.<\/p>\n What next for Audi on the F1 schedule?<\/p>\n F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held?<\/a><\/p>\n F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying records between teammates<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe project we are building is ambitious, and my focus will be on ensuring that all aspects of our race operations are delivering at their most competitive level and continuously improving.<\/p>\n \u201cTogether with our Driver Development Programme, to which I remain fully committed, my focus will be on implementing the building blocks for our success, under the direction of Mattia and the Board of Directors.\u201d<\/p>\n Binotto, whose job title has been updated to CEO and team principal in recognition of his combination of duties, added: \u201cAllan brings an exceptional combination of racing experience, technical understanding and leadership to this role.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has been a central part of the motorsport structure of Audi for many years and, in his roles within Audi Revolut F1 Team since its start, has played a key role in shaping our preparation for Formula 1, not least with his work around technical partnerships.<\/p>\n \u201cThis appointment strengthens our trackside leadership at a crucial stage of our project. Allan\u2019s ability to connect all performance-related areas \u2013 from sporting operations to driver development \u2013 will be fundamental as we continue to build our team.\u201d<\/p>\n McNish will begin in his new position at next weekend\u2019s Miami Grand Prix, with the team sitting on two points for the season so far.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n