Red Bull’s Sporting Director, Jonathan Wheatley, will be leaving the Formula One champions at the end of the season to become the team principal for Audi next year. Audi is in the process of transforming Swiss-based Sauber into their factory team, starting from 2026. Wheatley will join Audi no later than July next year, and in the meantime, he will serve a period of “gardening leave” after the 2024 season.
During his 18 years with Red Bull, Wheatley played a crucial role in the team’s success, helping them secure six world constructors’ titles and seven world drivers’ championships. His departure presents an opportunity for others within the Red Bull team to step up, and team boss Christian Horner has stated that they will announce a new team structure in the coming weeks.
In addition to Wheatley’s appointment, former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has also joined Audi to lead the Formula One project. Binotto, currently holding the position of chief operating and chief technical officer at Sauber Motorsport, will work alongside Wheatley with clearly defined roles and joint responsibility for the team.
Gernot Doellner, CEO of Audi, sees these appointments as a “decisive step” towards the team’s entry into Formula One. He believes that the combination of Wheatley’s racing performance expertise and operational management, along with Binotto’s role in bridging the gap between the Hinwil factory and Audi’s engine plant in Germany, will help Audi establish itself quickly in the competitive world of Formula One.
With Wheatley focusing on racing performance and representing Audi at the team principal level, while Binotto handles the coordination between the factory and engine plant, the stage is set for the new racing team’s success.
Wheatley’s departure follows the announcement in May that Red Bull’s technical head, Adrian Newey, will be leaving in the first quarter of 2025. Newey is considered the sport’s most highly regarded and sought-after designer. However, Red Bull remains strong in the championships, with Max Verstappen leading the way for his fourth title.
It’s worth noting that Red Bull is also ending their partnership with Honda at the end of next season and is planning to develop their own engine with support from Ford when the new power unit era starts in 2026.
Overall, these recent developments in the world of Formula One indicate a shifting landscape and the anticipation of fierce competition in the coming years. With key personnel changes and strategic decisions being made, teams like Red Bull and Audi are preparing themselves for the challenges ahead, all in the pursuit of Formula One glory.