The Scot, a 24 Hours of Le Mans legend, will take on the role from the Miami GP, will report directly to Mattia Binotto. He will oversee sporting operations, engineering, strategy, drivers and pit crew. He will keep his role in the Driver Development Program.
The Audi F1 team announced this Monday a key move in its management structure for the future: Allan McNish, one of the most respected figures in global motorsport and part of the German brand's project since its inception, will take on the role of race director starting at the Miami Grand Prix, which will take place this weekend.
The appointment is part of an internal reorganization following the unexpected departure of Jonathan Wheatley, who left the team after just two rounds of the championship. McNish will report directly to Mattia Binotto, Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal, and will have the responsibility of coordinating all on track operations.
His duties will be broad and will include oversight of sporting matters, engineering coordination, driver management, race strategy and pit operations, he will also be in charge of media activities and partners present at each Grand Prix.
Binotto highlighted the Scot's career and profile for this position: "Allan brings an exceptional combination of racing experience, technical knowledge and leadership, he has been a key piece in Audi's motorsport structure for many years and has played a fundamental role in shaping our preparation for Formula 1, especially with his work around technical collaborations," he assured.
The team principal added that McNish's ability to connect all performance related areas, from sporting operations to driver development, will be fundamental as the team continues to expand.
McNish's career backs up his appointment. The Briton (born in Scotland) competed in Formula 1 with Toyota and was also a test and reserve driver for other teams, but he is especially known for his multiple victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and for having won the World Endurance Championship (WEC) title. Within Audi, he has held several positions of responsibility, including director of coordination for Audi Group Motorsport and team director for Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler in Formula E.
"It's a privilege to take on the role of race director for the Audi Revolut F1 team. This brand means a lot to me and it's an honor to be able to represent it on the most prestigious stage in motorsport," McNish declared. The Scot added that his main objective will be to ensure that all aspects of race operations reach their maximum competitive level and improve continuously. McNish will maintain his current role as leader of the team's Driver Development Program, a role he will continue to perform alongside his new responsibilities.
In this way, Audi seeks to consolidate its leadership structure at a crucial moment in its Formula 1 project, with the goal of continuing to grow and get closer to the midfield.