Jonathan Wheatley is a key member of Red Bull's F1 team but will leave after 18 years; Wheatley is set to become Audi team principal when they join the F1 grid in 2026; F1 returns on August 23-25 with the Dutch Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1
Thursday 1 August 2024 19:40, UK
Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will leave the team to join the Audi F1 project.
Wheatley has been part of Red Bull since 2006 and played an instrumental role in their success, winning six constructors' and seven drivers' titles.
The 57-year-old will stay with Red Bull until the end of this year, before serving a period of gardening leave. Audi have confirmed he will join by July 2025 "at the latest" and will become team principal when they take over Sauber in 2026.
"I am extremely proud to have been a part of the Red Bull Racing journey over the last 18 years and will leave with many fond memories," Wheatley said.
"However, the opportunity to play an active part in Audi's entry into Formula 1 as head of a factory team is a uniquely exciting prospect, and I am looking forward to the challenge."
Sky Sports News understands Wheatley has taken the Audi opportunity to progress his career in a team principal role and it will give Red Bull the chance to give more responsibility to other members of the team.
"It has been a long and successful relationship with Jonathan, over 18 years," said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
"His contribution to six world constructors' titles and seven world drivers' championships, first as team manager and latterly sporting director will forever be a marker in our team history."
The announcement comes three months after Adrian Newey left Red Bull's F1 team to focus on their hypercar project before leaving the company entirely in early 2025.
Wheatley oversees Red Bull's pit stop crew, which have broken several records over the last decade for pit stop times.
He's best known for his radio calls to race director Michael Masi throughout the controversial 2021 season, which Verstappen won on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"Everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology wish him all the best in his new role and would like to place our thanks to Jonathan," read a Red Bull statement.
"Red Bull Racing have tremendous strength and depth and this provides opportunity to elevate others within the team. We will announce a new team structure in the coming weeks."
Wheatley will work with former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, who will make his return to Formula 1 after being appointed as Audi's chief operating and chief technical officer.
Binotto has already officially joined the team ahead of its debut season under the Audi banner in 2026, with Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl and chairman of the board of directors Olivier Hoffmann departing.
Binotto left his post with Ferrari in the wake of a 2022 campaign in which the team's title charge faded disappointingly, the Italian being succeeded by Frederic Vasseur. He had been a part of the Ferrari team since 1995 and became team principal in 2019.
An Audi statement explained that Wheatley's role "will focus above all on the racing performance of the future F1 factory team, on operational management of all race events, and on representing Audi at Team-Principal level in matters relating to Formula 1."
This contrasts with Binotto's role which will be focused on the technical development of the cars.
"With the appointment of Jonathan and Mattia we have taken a decisive step towards our entry into Formula 1," Audi CEO Gernot Doellner said.
"I am convinced that with the two of them, we have been able to combine an extremely high level of competence for Audi. Their experience and their ability will help us to get a foothold quickly in the tough competitive world of Formula 1."
Sauber, who remain the only team without a point in F1 this season, will officially become Audi in 2026.
Formula 1 returns after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 23-25, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
