Research notes
Wheater (David / Dave Wheater, British, graduate of Cambridge University in Aeronautical Engineering) joined Benetton at Enstone as an aerodynamicist in 2000, and was promoted to Head of Aerodynamics Group when the team became Renault in 2003. From July 2006 he served as Deputy Head of Aerodynamics (spanning the Renault and Lotus eras), staying until November 2013, during which time he was a key figure in the team's mid-era championship successes. In December 2013 he moved to Williams as Head of Aerodynamic Performance, was promoted to Aerodynamics Director in 2018, and left the team in January 2023. In September 2023 he joined Alpine as Chief Aerodynamicist, and was appointed Technical Director (Aerodynamics) in the three-pillar restructuring of March 2024. He left Alpine in August 2025 to join AI engineering simulation company PhysicsX, where he currently serves as Vice President of Automotive (Wikipedia lists his title as Delivery Consultant). Note: the final career entry uses his verified current role at PhysicsX;
his Alpine role has ended.
Head of the Aerodynamics department.