A prolonged war could do calamitous damage to the global economy. In just one day and night, Iran has hit energy targets in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Israel. So much for its military being defeated, or its leadership decapitated after almost three weeks of bombardment. One attack alone, on the Ras Laffan gas plant in Qatar, using just a handful of missiles did an estimated $26bn worth of damage and will, we're told, take years to repair. Iran war latest: Trump says he's not putting troops in Iran Even less liquid natural gas will now get to market, jacking up prices. The cost of gas for European consumers has already leapt 30%. Cue a pell-mell chorus of apocalyptic predictions from analysts and economists, and that's after just 24 hours of escalated energy attacks. Imagine what weeks of the same could do. I sat down with one of Iran's most senior diplomats, Esmail Baghaei, in the foreign ministry in Tehran to ask him if this was a new policy of escalation from his government. "You cannot expect a country that is under military aggression to exercise restraint. You have to direct your call to those aggressors, they started this…" he told me. Oil and gas facilities have been hit before in this war, but the targets struck over the last day or two are of a different order of significance. The attacks were not unprovoked. Israel had taken its attacks on the Islamic Republic to a new level with airstrikes on Iran's south Pars gasfield and Iran responded without hesitation. No wonder Donald Trump issued what looked like a rather panicky post ordering Israel not to attack gas fields again and warning Qatar against the same in no uncertain terms. I asked Mr Baghaei if rising concern globally would provide some opportunity for diplomacy to prevail and for all sides to step back. Is there any kind of olive branch Iran could offer to its enemies? "Do you think it would be realistic to offer an olive branch to those who want to behead you? They are killing our elites. They are targeting our leaders. We are facing acts of aggression and terrorism and this is unprecedented," he said. But the US president is also reported to be seriously considering sending in troops to secure the Strait of Hormuz. That would raise the spectre of weeks, if not months, more war. If Iran can maintain the potency of its missile arsenal that could spell disaster for the Gulf's precious energy installations with all that means for the global economy. It would be as wise as a shootout in a warehouse of crystal. The prices of oil, gas, helium, plastics and fertiliser have been sent soaring already. But we may have seen nothing yet and if the doomsday scenario unfolds as predicted we will all feel the pain.

Trials were due to start in October this year, but will now not go ahead, after all the separate lawsuits were halted earlier this month due to an undisclosed agreement being reached by the parties. A court order published on Thursday and dated 13 March said that case judge Christina Lambert ordered the proceedings paused, saying all sides had "agreed to the terms of the settlement". The judge added: "By consent, it is ordered that all further proceedings against the defendant in these actions be stayed upon the terms set out in this order and in the confidential schedule." No details regarding the nature of the settlement between Spacey and the accusers have been released. The three men, who lodged their cases in London's High Court, alleged the Hollywood actor abused them between 2000 and 2013. Two of them also gave evidence in a criminal trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2023, which saw the actor acquitted on all charges. The 66-year-old has repeatedly denied accusations of sexual misconduct, insisting that the incidents were consensual or did not happen. Sexual assault allegations against Spacey, who is an Oscar-winner and one of Hollywood's biggest stars, first surfaced in 2017. The barrister representing the three men told the High Court in a hearing earlier this month that seven other people who allege they were sexually assaulted by Spacey wished to give evidence. One of the three claimants, who waived his right to anonymity, Ruari Cannon, alleges Spacey assaulted him in 2013 at an event related to a production of the Tennessee Williams's play Sweet Bird Of Youth. Spacey's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a spokesperson for the claimants' lawyers declined to ⁠comment following the settlement. Read more from Sky News:Plans to let AI firms use music axed by governmentAI-generated Val Kilmer to star in new movie after death Another civil lawsuit against Spacey in the US was dismissed by a ⁠jury in 2022. The actor ​stood trial in London the following year, charged ​with sexually assaulting four men in Britain, but was acquitted of all nine ‌charges. The allegations against Spacey, who was artistic director at The Old Vic theatre in London between 2004 and 2015, included an accusation from a former aspiring actor that he drugged and performed a sex act on him while he slept. Spacey, who won Oscars for the films American Beauty ​and The Usual Suspects, was dropped from the ​TV drama House of Cards and removed from the ​movie All the Money in the World after the first ⁠allegations of sexual assault emerged.

"We are running out of time," she told MPs at a party event. "The very survival of the Labour Party is at stake." The intention is clear: Rayner wants to demonstrate she is back and Sky News understands that her allies are increasingly confident that issues around her tax affairs will be resolved before the May elections, paving her return to the frontline at a moment of clear peril for the prime minister. Politics latest: Sarwar hasn't spoken to PM since urging him to quit Rayner was forced to resign in September after it emerged she had broken the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on her second home on the south coast by £40,000. At the time, Rayner admitted her mistake, but said it had been her initial "understanding, on advice from lawyers" that she had paid the correct amount, having put her stake in the family home into a trust of her disabled son following her divorce in 2023. But a fresh probe concluded Rayner should have paid more stamp duty because her new property in Hove was classified as a second home. Since then, Rayner has been trying to resolve the matter with HMRC through lawyers and that process is reaching a culmination. She has also been involved in speaking engagements and is writing an autobiography in an effort to raise enough funds to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. It's thought she's poised to earn over £100,000, more than enough to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. As the tax dispute rumbles on, Rayner is rallying MPs ahead of critical elections in May. 'Losing faith in the PM' Friends of Rayner tell me the former deputy to Starmer - like many MPs across the party - has increasingly lost faith in the prime minister after the performance of his Number 10 operation, which has seen a huge turnover of staff, a series of damaging U-turns and bad decisions, culminating in the Mandelson scandal that has so badly wounded the prime minister and the party. I understand that Rayner verbally warned the prime minister not to appoint Mandelson but was ignored. Rayner had all but disappeared from view after her resignation in September over her tax affairs, but has become more vocal in recent weeks, urging the government not to water down capping ground rents and being a leading figure forcing Number 10 to disclose the Mandelson files. Read more:Labour's left unite behind 'major reset' call in new challenge to PMReform UK maintain poll leadRayner admits she should have paid more tax on house purchase Her rallying cry to Labour MPs this week was her strongest yet as she told MPs "not to be embarrassed by Labour values" and took aim at the party's divisive immigration proposals. Her speech to Labour's centre-left campaign group Mainstream's spring reception on Tuesday was a clear rebuke as she urged the prime minister to reconsider "un-British" immigration reforms. The proposed changes to make it harder for migrant workers to quality for permanent residence in the UK have become a lightning rod for unhappy MPs, with over 100 signing a letter in recent weeks demanding that the prime minister water down the reforms. Labour 'running out of time' She also warned MPs in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election defeat to the Greens that the Labour Party "cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline", telling MPs: "There is no safe ground, we are running out of time." "When the British people voted for us, they voted for change, we put it in our manifesto. The Labour Party is at its best when we are bold and stand by our values. We should make clear our mission is to represent working people," she said, warning that the party under Starmer had left voters with the impression that it represents the "status quo". All of this adds weight to leadership speculation, with the popular former deputy and bookies' favourite to replace Starmer widely seen as the centre-left candidate in waiting should the PM face a leadership challenge post-May. Allies of Rayner are clear the former housing secretary would not engineer a scenario to oust Starmer or directly challenge him. But equally, she would consider running if MPs triggered a race, with one ally telling Sky News that if the May elections prove disastrous, there could well be 81 MPs prepared to call for his resignation and trigger a contest. "She would have to weigh up the personal and the political and see what level of support there is in the party." She is also testing support in the City. 'No lurch to the left' The Financial Times reported this week that Rayner has joined a call with City investors, hosted by French bank BNP Paribas, in which she reassured them Labour would not lurch to the left. The former deputy prime minister told investors on the call that the party would stick to the manifesto and not resort to more borrowing. In essence, Rayner committed to sticking to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' fiscal rules. This would be in part to assuage investors over the prospect of a more left-wing leader and also to ensure that there is no deviation from the manifesto. Her allies say the meeting was one of various speaking events she is doing in order to raise the funds to settle her bill with HMRC. Possible leadership challenge Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, is the only senior figure to go public and call for the PM's resignation, but in private a number of senior colleagues are openly discussing a possible challenge. When Sarwar called for the PM to resign in February, Rayner joined the rest of the cabinet to back the prime minister, but friends suggest that if the situation deteriorates further she would not be so willing to come out in support again. There is growing speculation among MPs that a terrible result for Labour in the May elections could precipitate a leadership challenge, although those at the top of Labour are divided about what might happen. One senior figure told me recently that they thought Starmer would survive the bloodbath of May because there are "enough people in the Labour Party that dislike the alternative enough that they'll keep Keir Starmer in" - be that Angela Rayner on the left, or Wes Streeting on the right. Others think the scale of losses could spur MPs, and senior figures, into action in a way that Sarwar's resignation in February did not. What is clear is that the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership. Starmer has made it repeatedly clear that he has no intention of quitting Number 10, throwing down the gauntlet to his MPs to try to force him out. When I asked Anas Sarwar this week whether he thought the PM should resign if the results are bad, he simply told me that he had stated his position in February and was not "recoiling from that position". The Scottish Labour leader clearly felt he needed to cut Starmer loose to have any hope in convincing Scottish voters to back Labour, such is the dislike for Westminster government in Scotland. "I feel I had a duty to be straight to the people that I'm going to have to look in the eye over the course of the next 50 days and ask them to put their support in me to replace an SNP government that's been in power for 20 years and to change the first minister of this country," said Sarwar of his decision to call for Starmer to go. "I'm the person that's putting myself in front of the people of Scotland in 50 days' time. And people in Scotland have a right to know what are my standards, what are my principles, what am I willing to accept, and what would I do differently if I have the honour of being first minister of my country." What happened at the last general election? Back in 2024, Labour took 37 seats from the SNP in the general election - its best performance since 2007, as Starmer's Labour clocked up 35% of the vote and the SNP came in with 30%. Back then, it looked like Sarwar could be heading to become Scotland's first minister. Instead Labour has performed woefully in Scotland, coming in third behind the SNP and Reform in several polls. The outlook is pretty bleak in Wales too, where Labour look set to lose control of the Senedd for the first time, according to polling, as Welsh voters turn to Plaid Cymru. Welsh Labour had run the parliament in Cardiff for 26 years in a row, making it the most successful democratic party in the world. Look to London and Labour are contemplating the prospect of a Zack Polanski green wave while in councils across England Reform are looking to make more gains. When I asked Sarwar if May was the crunch point for Labour, he simply replied "absolutely". Like Rayner, he seems clear that Labour are running out of time. What is far from clear, is where that goes next.

The Manchester United captain, who has set up 16 league goals this season, is five assists away from making competition history and four from equalling it. The Premier League's most prolific creator has a chance to chip away at the gap when United go to Bournemouth for Friday Night Football, live on Sky Sports. Bournemouth have not conceded a goal for more than 250 minutes, letting in just one over their last four matches, but Fernandes will fancy his chances with the form he is in. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Man Utd fixtures & scores | FREE Man Utd PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 Already debate is brewing around the way Fernandes has amassed his tally and how, if he equals or surpasses the record, his achievement will compare with the current holders. Here, we dig into the numbers and key points of contention. Has Fernandes ever been this close? No, this is Fernandes' best assists tally in a single Premier League season. In fact, by setting up two of United's goals in Sunday's 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford, Fernandes broke the club's record for assists in a Premier League season. The Portuguese equalled and then surpassed David Beckham's record of 15. United legend Eric Cantona hit 16 assists in 1992/93 when he moved to Old Trafford from Leeds United mid-season. When could Fernandes break the record? Fernandes is on course to at least equal the Premier League record based on his numbers across the season, his rate of 0.61 per 90 projecting him to add a further 4.9. However, nine of his assists have come in the last 10 games, coinciding with the sacking of Ruben Amorim, and Fernandes being restored to his favoured No 10 position. If he can keep up that rate, 0.93 assists per 90, he would smash the record by at least three. However, there are a few cautionary tales for Fernandes that come in the shape of Mesut Ozil and Mohamed Salah. The former Arsenal playmaker had 16 assists after 18 games in 2015/16 only to fall one short of the record, while Salah had 18 assists with six games to go last season but failed to add to his tally. Remarkably, Fernandes did not record an assist this season until October 19 when he set up Harry Maguire's late winner at Liverpool. The set-piece vs open-play debate A graphic on Monday Night Football, breaking down open-play assists and set-piece assists, has fuelled the debate around Fernandes and if he can truly be considered in the same bracket as Henry and De Bruyne. Fernandes has seven assists from open play which pales in comparison to Henry's 18 and De Bruyne's 17. In fact, Fernandes does not even have the most open play assists in the Premier League this season. Man City's Rayan Cherki is one ahead on eight while Erling Haaland is equal on seven. The purists might be minded to suggest that Fernandes' tally - even if he equals 20 or surpasses it - would not bear comparison with the current holders. Diminishing Fernandes' potential achievement based on set-piece reliance could put Arsenal fans defending Henry's record in a sticky position. Vice versa for United. Tread carefully. Fernandes, with nine, is also closing in on Steven Gerrard's 2013/14 record (11) for most assists from set-pieces in a single season. Has Fernandes benefited from easier schedule? United will play just 40 matches this season, the fewest since 1914/15 when they played 39, after crashing out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the first time of asking. This has afforded Fernandes lengthy breaks between racking up assists in the Premier League. The most appearances he could make for United this season is 37 across all competitions after they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by League Two Grimsby before losing to Brighton in the FA Cup third round. By comparison, Henry played 55 games for Arsenal in 2002/03 as they missed out on the Premier League to United and won the FA Cup. They crashed out of the League Cup in the third round but played 12 Champions League games when it was two group stages. Meanwhile, De Bruyne featured 48 times for City, who were runners-up to Liverpool in the title race, and lifted the Carabao Cup. Pep Guardiola's side were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 by Real Madrid and reached the FA Cup semi-finals. In defence of Fernandes Clearly, there are a few mitigating factors that suggest Fernandes' feat - if he reaches 20 - might not be as impressive as Henry or De Bruyne's. However, there is little debate around his credentials as one of the Premier League's greatest creators. Removing assists from the conversation for a moment, Fernandes is head and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to chance creation. Standing in front of a graph showing Premier League players' chances created and chances created from open play, Sky Sports presenter Dave Jones neatly summed it up. "There are some exceptional players here…and here is Bruno Fernandes." The importance of Fernandes' assists to United this season should also surely be considered. Already the United captain has won the most points (18) from assists by a single player in a Premier League season. Neither Henry nor De Bruyne feature in the top eight. Let's see how Fernandes gets on in the final eight games of the season before deciding one way or the other. Man Utd's remaining fixtures Friday March 20: Bournemouth (a) - kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports Monday April 13: Leeds (h) - kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports Saturday April 18: Chelsea (a) - kick-off 8pm Monday April 27: Brentford (h) - kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports Saturday May 2: Liverpool (h) - kick-off 3pm Saturday May 9: Sunderland (a) - kick-off 3pm Sunday May 17: Nottingham Forest (h) - kick-off 3pm Sunday May 24: Brighton (a) - kick-off 4pm Watch Bournemouth vs Man Utd on Friday Night Football, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.

The Home Office said existing crossbow owners will also need a licence. It follows the death of BBC racing commentator John Hunt's wife and two of his daughters, who were murdered in a crossbow and knife attack at their family home in July 2024. Kyle Clifford, 26, is serving a whole-life order after killing his ex-partner Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, and their mother Carol Hunt, 61, in a quiet cul-de-sac in Bushey, Hertfordshire. Read more:Teenage boy dies after blaze in flat next to London fire stationFamily pays tribute to 'kindest' girl after car crashes into river Currently, there is no registration system for owning a crossbow, which Sky News found to be readily available to buy online, and no requirement for a licence. But it is illegal for children to buy or own one, and anyone carrying a crossbow in public without a reasonable excuse can face up to four years in jail. The government, which has promised to tighten rules, has launched a consultation on the plans. Many responses expressed concerns about how easy it was to obtain one, officials said. The review was ordered following an attempt to kill the late Queen with the weapon. Would-be assassin Jaswant Singh Chail was encouraged by an AI chatbot to break into Windsor Castle on Christmas Day in 2021 with a loaded crossbow. Chail, then 21, was jailed for nine years in 2023 and given a further five years on extended licence after admitting treason, making a threat to kill the then Queen and having a loaded crossbow. Laura Sugden, who has campaigned for a change in law since her partner, Shane Gilmer, was killed in a crossbow attack in 2018, said she was "relieved and grateful" at the announcement to ban the weapons. Mr Gilmer, 30, died after his next-door neighbour broke into his home in Southburn, East Yorkshire, and shot him and Ms Sugden, who was left injured. 'A system that failed to recognise the risks' She said: "We are relieved and grateful to see that there will be new controls introduced and see that the government is committed to banning the sale of crossbows as well as licensing those in existence. "For years, we have argued that it was far too easy for people to obtain these lethal weapons. "Shane lost his life because of a system that failed to recognise the risks." In October last year, a public inquiry into the Southport attack heard how killer Axel Rudakubana had contacted two archery retailers when he was 15, asking if they could deliver crossbows in "discreet" packaging, two years before his mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Convicted stalker Bryce Hodgson was shot dead by police after he broke into a London home, armed with weapons including a crossbow, in 2024.

The company behind the movie, First Line Films, say it is the first-ever performance enabled by generative artificial intelligence. The Top Gun star was originally cast in As Deep As The Grave five years ago but had been unable to work on set due to illness. He will play Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist Father Fintan. Kilmer previously claimed Cherokee ancestry and was a vocal supporter of Native American rights. The filmmakers say they have worked closely with Kilmer's estate and his daughter, Mercedes. They said in a press release: "At the time that ⁠he was cast, Kilmer expressed that the character of Fintan spoke to him both culturally and spiritually." Written and directed by Coloradan Coerte ‌Voorhees, the film follows southwestern archaeologists Ann Morris, played by Tin Star actress Abigail Lawrie, and Harry Potter star Tom Felton. It focuses on their excavations in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, also exploring the lives of the ​Navajo people. First Line Films, which is based in ​New Mexico, has not revealed what technology it will be using, but described it as "state-of-the-art generative AI technology". In 2021, Kilmer used the AI voice platform Sonantic to develop an AI-generated version of his voice, which was permanently damaged after undergoing a tracheostomy for throat cancer. It used archival audio Kilmer provided, and was used in the Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, in which Kilmer reprised his famous Iceman role. As Deep as the Grave uses Kilmer's voice from after his tracheostomy. The movie, which is in post-production, is expected to be released later this year. California-born Kilmer, who was one of the best-paid actors in the 1990s, had numerous spats with directors over the years, earning a reputation for being difficult to work with. He famously admitted he had not been keen to take the role that made him famous, Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise in 1986. He also portrayed Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors. Last year, the launch of the first fully AI-generated actor, Tilly Norwood, created waves in the entertainment industry, as it continues to grapple with innovations in AI threatening the roles of its workforce. SAG-AFTRA, the US actors' union, recently wrapped up a month of negotiations with the major studios without reaching a new deal. Meanwhile, in the UK, members of the actors' union Equity voted overwhelmingly to refuse digital scanning on set in a bid to secure adequate AI protections. The AI debate has also impacted the music world, with plans to let AI firms use music without permission abandoned by the UK government earlier this week.

The statement, from a coalition of MPs, councillors and activists, comes after a major intervention from Angela Rayner, in which she criticised Sir Keir Starmer's "un-British" immigration reforms and said Labour's "very survival" is "at stake". The former deputy prime minister was speaking at a reception hosted by Mainstream, a centre-left organisation which advocates for practical left policies and is closely aligned with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Her language has been echoed by a new "Reset the Labour Party" statement, which calls for a change of course in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election disaster and potentially catastrophic local elections in May. The statement, launching with an official website this evening and seen by Sky News, calls for bolder ideas and a more democratic culture within the party, hitting out at the "pandering to the far right" from the "top down" leadership. It is supported by Mainstream as well as Momentum - the organisation that spearheaded Corbynmania. The campaign also has the support of a broad group of Labour MPs, ranging from those in the Socialist Campaign Group like John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, to centre left figures from the Tribune group and Mainstream - such as Simon Opher and Paula Barker. The collaboration is significant, as there have historically been clashes between Labour's left and centre-left. It is part of an attempt for progressive figures to gain seats on the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), which is facing elections later this year. Highlighting Labour's "growing electoral threat" the statement says: "Members from across our party's progressive majority are uniting behind a call to urgently reset the Labour Party. The upcoming National Executive Committee elections are an opportunity to do just that. "We stand against the insular, centralising approach of the current leadership that refuses to draw on the energy, talent and ideas of our whole movement, the continued underfunding of public services and local government, and the pandering to the talking points of the far right." Internal elections Labour's NEC sets the overall strategic direction of the party and has an influence on party rules and discipline and candidate selection. Nine Constituency Labour Party (CLP) representatives are up for election on the body, with Mainstream and Momentum backing a different set of three candidates. While this is not a joint slate, all of their candidates have signed the statement, as well as independent candidates. It is hoped this will signal to members common ground between those standing from the broad left, who will be going up against those backed by Labour to Win - a pro-leadership group. 'Choose a different path' The NEC elections are not until the summer, but in going public now it signals the deep-rooted anger within many corners of the party about the direction of travel. Last month's Gorton and Denton by-election saw Labour come third, behind the Greens and Reform UK in a seat they had controlled for 100 years, after the NEC blocked Mr Burnham from standing. The party has also lost to Reform UK in Runcorn, and to Plaid Cymru in Caerphilly. With support for Labour collapsing across the country, there is growing speculation Sir Keir could face a leadership challenge following May's local elections, which insiders expect to be a "bloodbath". The reset statement warns Labour can "only survive...if we choose a different path", with policies such as wealth taxes and taking essential services into democratic ownership. Read More:Voters split over whether Starmer is handling Iran war well It also calls for rebuilding democracy within the party, saying that means restoring "genuinely open" candidate selections, "ending the suspension of MPs for legitimate scrutiny of the government" and moving away from "top-down control". And it also warns members are giving up on Labour in "anger or disappointment", and rebuilding membership "must be a priority for Labour's success". The statement has been signed by councillors across the country, while other MPs names include jury trial critic Charlotte Nichols, Open Labour's Alex Sobel and welfare rebels Chris Hinchliff and Neil Duncan-Jordan. Rayner warns Labour 'running out of time' Ms Rayner - often tipped as a frontrunner to replace the prime minister - is not one of the signatories, but last night she made similar remarks as she praised Mainstream's "radical realism". She said the "very survival of the Labour Party is at stake" and that the government is "running out of time" to deliver change as people have the impression it has been "defending the status quo". As well as criticising migration reforms, she said the government must pursue a relentless battle on the cost of living if it wants to emulate the success of centre-left governments in Norway and Canada that have bounced back to win amid rising populism. Number 10 has since declined to give the migration reforms its full backing, but insisted today that Sir Keir "shares an impatience" to deliver change and is "firmly on the side of working people". Meanwhile the prime minister has previously vowed to face down any leadership challenge and insists he will lead Labour into the next election.

Newey, who joined Aston Martin from Red Bull last March but only became team principal at the start of this year, is understood to welcome Wheatley's possible arrival. The legendary F1 designer would then be freed up to focus on the Aston Martin car after a nightmare start to the season for the team. Newey's position as Aston Martin team principal was always seen as an interim measure. F1 2026 Calendar | F1 2026 Standings | F1 Gossip ColumnDownload the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 A new team principal would not reduce Newey's status within the team and as managing technical partner, the role for which the 67-year-old was originally hired 12 months ago, so he would have full authority over all technical matters and report only to team owner Lawrence Stroll. Sky Sports News understands Aston Martin have identified other team principal candidates including Max Verstappen's engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who was approached but decided to remain with Red Bull, while former McLaren boss Andreas Seidl is not in the running for the role. Should Wheatley become team principal, it would end any prospect of Christian Horner joining Aston Martin. It is likely Audi would hold Wheatley to a lengthy period of gardening leave and it is unlikely any agreement will be concluded before next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix as the recruitment process could take months. It is still to be confirmed whether Newey travels to Suzuka, after he was not on-site for last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, or if he instead oversees the design and manufacture of upgrades at Aston Martin's Silverstone factory. "The team will not be engaging in media speculation about its senior leadership team. Adrian Newey continues to lead the team as Team Principal and Managing Technical Partner," said Aston Martin in a statement to Sky Sports News. Audi said in a statement: "We are aware of the recent media reports. There is no official update from our side at this point in time and we do not comment on speculation." What's gone wrong at Aston Martin? There were huge hopes at Aston Martin coming into this year, with the presence of Newey and with Honda as their new engine supplier. However, it became clear during pre-season testing when Aston Martin were late to the Barcelona shakedown in January, then completed the least number of laps across the two Bahrain tests, that the team would be on the back foot. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll failed to complete a full race simulation and lacked outright speed compared to most of the field, aside from newcomers Cadillac. Prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Newey addressed the media and revealed vibrations caused by the Honda power unit could cause permanent nerve damage to the drivers. Along with concern for the drivers, Honda executive Koji Watanabe confirmed that Honda are also unable to run the power unit at full capacity due to the vibration issue. Newey also admitted he was unaware of the inexperience at Honda compared to their championship-winning crew that helped Red Bull's Max Verstappen win the 2021 Drivers' Championship. "We only really became aware of it kind of November of last year when we - Lawrence [Stroll], Andy Cowell and myself - went to Tokyo to discuss as rumours started to suggest that their original target power they wouldn't achieve for race one," said Newey. "Out of that came the fact that many of the original workforce had not returned when they restarted." Stroll did not take part in Qualifying while Alonso was knocked out in Q1, then both drivers were unable to finish the Australian Grand Prix. It was a similar story one week later in China, where Stroll and Alonso were eliminated in the first part of Sprint Qualifying and Qualifying. They completed ewer laps than in Australia as Stroll stopped at the first corner after nine laps and Alonso stopped due to the severity of the car's vibrations. "Way too many vibrations compared to any other session of the weekend. I felt it was the limit," he told Sky Sports F1. "If we were fighting for something, you would hold your eyes and hands, but I started to lose feeling in my hands. It's not a nice feeling." Aston Martin's engine supplier Honda have their home event, the Japanese Grand Prix, next weekend, when there will be even more attention on the team's performance. Formula 1 next heads to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix on March 27-29 live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime