Allan McNish has been named Audi F1 racing director with immediate effect, taking over responsibilities previously held by Jonathan Wheatley before his March departure. The world endurance champion and three-time Le Mans winner has been part of Audi's motorsport ecosystem, leading their Formula E team and driver development programme.

Following Wheatley's exit, CEO Mattia Binotto confirmed he would retain the team principal role while focusing on factory operations. McNish will report directly to Binotto, managing F1 weekends from sporting and performance perspectives, overseeing engineering decisions, strategy, and driver management.

"This is an exciting challenge at a pivotal moment," McNish stated, emphasizing his commitment to both the racing director role and continuing to mentor Audi's F1 Academy drivers. The appointment completes Audi's leadership structure as they prepare for their F1 debut with a candidate possessing both technical understanding and racing pedigree.