Allan McNish has received a vote of confidence to take the reins of Audi’s Formula 1 team from commentator Will Buxton, the well-known voice of the Netflix series “Drive to Survive”.
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Audi may have only competed in three races in its first season in its current form, but it is already a team in full transition, with team principal Jonathan Wheatley leaving his post before the Japanese Grand Prix.
While many have spoken about Wheatley’s next destination, there is much less talk about how Audi will fill the void left, with Mattia Binotto, former Ferrari team principal, stepping in temporarily alongside his existing duties.
Buxton speaks out
In the Up to Speed podcast, Will Buxton believes he has found the solution: “I believe they need someone to replace Jonathan Wheatley, and I believe they already have someone in their ranks who could be team principal, to let Mattia Binotto focus on the technical side, just as Adrian Newey will focus on the technical side at Aston Martin.“
“For me, whether as sporting director or team principal, Audi already has the perfect man for the job, and that’s Allan McNish, the journalist insists. For those who don’t know yet, he’s a brilliant former Formula 1 driver, an exceptional endurance driver, multiple winner for Audi in all endurance races, he was also their team principal in Formula E and took them from a team unable to win a race to champions in just one year.”
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While McNish’s stint in F1 is mostly remembered for a spectacular crash at the 130R corner at Suzuka during qualifying for the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix when he was driving for Toyota, his record in endurance racing is impressive, with three overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Already in place
As Buxton suggested, his management qualities have been proven in Formula E, and it is somewhat surprising that he has not yet been placed in a prominent public role, as his past experience shows he has a very media-friendly personality.
Buxton concluded: “He has a proven track record, he is currently responsible for the young driver development program at Audi, so he is already part of the team. For me, I think McNish could take this role immediately. He is extremely respected, and for good reason.”
Recall that there is also talk of Christian Horner’s arrival at Audi, but the British manager is positioning himself more as a partner overseeing all operations as a co-shareholder, a status that the German manufacturer does not yet seem decided to grant him.
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