Key Red Bull supervisor Jonathan Wheatley leaves the team to begin work as Team Principal of F1 team Kick Sauber

Jonathan Wheatley, the former sporting director of Red Bull Racing, is set to join Kick Sauber as team principal from April 1, 2025. Wheatley announced his departure from the Milton Keynes-based squad last year after receiving a promotion offer from Sauber.

Red Bull Racing had an unsettling season in 2024 as they lost two key personnel mid-season. The most shocking departure was of Adrian Newey, who cut ties with the team after 20 years of service.

Moreover, in back-to-back setbacks, the Bulls also lost sporting director Wheatley as he signed a deal with Sauber to overtake the role of team principal.

Meanwhile, the energy drink-based squad allowed Wheatley to abandon his contract with the team and switch to Sauber from the 2025 season itself. As of the latest information, Jonathan Wheatley is set to assume the role of team principal with Sauber from April 1, 2025.

He will miss two races of the upcoming season, Australia and China, before leading Sauber from the Japanese GP instead.

Wheatley has been brought in for a much bigger opportunity. 2025 is Sauber's final year in F1 as Audi has initiated a 100% takeover of the racing outfit. They will debut from the 2026 season onwards, with Wheatley expected to continue his role as team principal.

Jonathan began his career in F1 in 1991 with Benetton as a mechanic. After a brief stint with Renault from 2002 to 2005, he switched to Red Bull in 2006. He spent 18 years with the team and assumed the role of sporting director from 2018. He had been a core part of Red Bull along with team principal Christian Horner, technical director Pierre Wache, and chief technical officer Adrian Newey.

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is supervising Audi's F1 project as chief operating officer (COO). He reportedly played a key role in bringing Wheatly in from Red Bull.

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Audi CEO welcomes Jonathan Wheatley with a special message

Jonathan Wheatley at F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi (Image Source: Getty)

Jonathan Wheatley's departure from Red Bull sent shockwaves across the F1 paddock last year. He announced his departure from the team after 18 years of service only to join hands with Sauber.

He will be taking over as team principal of Sauber in 2025 before Audi takes over charge in 2026. Meanwhile, Audi CEO Gernot Dollner welcomed Wheatley with a special message. In an official statement, he said (via Autosport):

“I am delighted that we have been able to gain Jonathan Wheatley as team principal for our future Formula 1 team. Jonathan has played a major part in many Formula 1 race victories and world championship titles in his Formula 1 career so far and has extensive experience in the paddock. He is a very valuable addition to our team. With the appointment of Jonathan and Mattia, we have taken a decisive step towards our entry into Formula 1."

Mattia Binotto and Wheatley are likely to lead Audi's F1 project as they gear up for a debut in 2026.