Christian Horner is in the running to replace Andy Coyle at Aston Martin

Whitmarsh, who was replaced by Coyle last year, was offered his old job back, but is said to have refused.

“I have decided to leave Aston Martin in 2023, and while Lawrence has been very generous, I no longer want a role in the team,” Whitmarsh told BBC Sport.

The reason for the rupture is a dispute between Cowell and Newey over who is responsible.

Newey, a Formula 1 design legend who has won 12 world constructors’ titles and 13 drivers’ titles with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, is leading work on the team’s 2026 car.

Coyle as CEO is supposed to oversee the team, but Newey’s position, both in terms of his record and as the team’s biggest ever shareholder and earner, is inevitably in a more powerful position.

Newey left Red Bull specifically because he fell out with Horner as a result of allegations of sexual harassment and coercive and controlling behavior against Horner by a female employee.

Horner was cleared of these accusations by two separate internal investigations, but the allegations led to major internal divisions within Red Bull, which also suffered from a decline in performance.

With no sign of improvement in internal tensions or performance, Red Bull sacked Horner after the British Grand Prix.

In September, the two parties reached a settlement that saw Horner receive compensation worth €60m (£53m).

At the time of his departure, Newey told teammates he did not want to be in the same room as Horner, a Red Bull source told BBC Sport.

But it is said that there was a rapprochement between the two and in the summer they attended the Oasis concert together.

However, it is not at all certain that Horner will secure a role at Aston Martin.

Stroll may decide he doesn’t need such a prominent figure full-time, given he is the de facto team manager as the overall authority and owner.

Cowell will be the fourth senior leader to leave his position at Aston Martin.

Otmar Szafnauer was sacked in early 2022 and replaced by Mike Krak, who was demoted to chief engineer after Cowell took over.

The team is also going through a major technical restructuring with seven senior design engineers leaving their positions earlier this month.

The team is hoping to make a leap forward in competitiveness next year, when the new rules could shake up the grid and they become Honda’s engine partner.