Jonathan Wheatley to leave Red Bull after F1 season to become team principal of Audi
Jonathan Wheatley will leave his role as sporting director of Red Bull to become team principal of the Audi Formula 1 team.
The 57-year-old Wheatley has been with Red Bull for 18 years. The team said on Thursday he’ll finish out this season before sitting out 2025. He’ll than take over Audi when it begins racing in 2026.
“I am extremely proud to have been a part of the Red Bull Racing journey,” 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.”
Wheatley will work alongside former Ferrari team principal Matteo Binotto, who was recently hired by Audi to lead its F1 project.
“I have known Jonathan for many years and rate him highly as an experienced and committed motorsport expert,” Binotto said. “I’m looking forward to setting up the new racing team for Audi along with Jonathan and leading it to success.“
Both will report to Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.
Earlier Thursday, Red Bull announced Wheatley’s departure, with team principal Christian Horner wishing him well.
“It has been a long and successful relationship with Jonathan, over 18 years,” Horner said. “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.”
German automaker Audi reached an agreement in March for a full takeover of the Sauber team ahead of its entry as a full F1 constructor in 2026. Driver Nico Hülkenberg will join Sauber from Haas at the end of the year, giving the team a German presence on the grid when it rebrands to Audi.
Red Bull leads the constructor standings this season with 408 points while Sauber sits last without a point. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen tops the driver’s standings as he chases a fourth consecutive world title.
But things are changing within Red Bull’s longstanding structure: Wheatley is the second key figure to be leaving ahead of F1’s rule changes in 2026.
Adrian Newey, the designer who joined in 2006 and became a pivotal figure, will step down early next year.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing