Audi F1 urged to consider key internal candidate as Jonathan Wheatley replacement

After the shock announcement that Jonathan Wheatley had left his role as Audi Formula 1 team principal with immediate effect on 20 March, former F1 TV pundit Will Buxton has thrown his weight behind Allan McNish to take the Briton's position.

While head of Audi F1 project Mattia Binotto has assumed the responsibilities of team principal in the meantime, Buxton argued that the German outfit wouldn't have to look far for the 'ideal' candidate.

"Mattia Binotto has been moved now into a singular team principal role at Audi," Buxton said during the Up To Speed podcast.

"I believe they need somebody to replace Jonathan Wheatley, and I believe they already have on their book somebody who could be either a team principal and let Mattia focus on the technical side, as Adrian Newey is going to focus on the technical side at Aston Martin.

"Whether it's as a sporting director or as a team principal, Audi already have the perfect man for the job and that is Allan McNish. For those who don't know, he's a brilliant Formula 1 driver, a brilliant endurance racing driver, won multiple times for Audi across the board in endurance racing, was their team principal in Formula E and took them from a team that couldn't win a race to winning the title within a year.

Allan McNish, Director of Coordination, Audi Group

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

"He has a proven track record. He is their young driver development coach at the moment, heads up that programme for Audi, so he's already a part of the team. And for me, I think that Allan McNish would be able to slide straight into that role. He is hugely respected and for good reason."

McNish raced in F1 in 2002 with Toyota. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1997 to 2000 and again from 2004 to 2013, the American Le Mans Series and the World Endurance Championship.

Aside from racing, the 56-year-old has served as the drivers' representative on the F1 stewards panel, commentator and pundit for BBC Sport's F1 coverage, team principal for the Audi Formula E team and the director of Audi's development driver programme.