KICK Sauber F1 team has officially announced when Jonathan Wheatley will assume the role of Team Principal. Wheatley is set to be part of the team’s transition into the Audi F1 Factory squad.
The former Sporting Director of Red Bull will make his race debut as Sauber’s Team Principal at the Japanese GP in Suzuka.
Wheatley’s departure from the Red Bull team was a part of the mass exodus which was followed by Adrian Newey’s decision to leave in early 2024. Wheatley, a bedrock of Red Bull’s operations since 2006, played a crucial role in revolutionizing the team’s pit stop strategies, turning them into the standard for speed and efficiency in the paddock.
His exit was announced during the 2024 summer break, marking a new chapter for both him and Red Bull. Wheatley’s transition period will be shorter than Newey’s, allowing him to step into his new role at Sauber sooner. He will officially take charge on April 1st.
At Sauber, Wheatley will join forces with Mattia Binotto, who has been serving as interim Team Principal and is also the team’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer. Together, they will report to Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG.
Audi has grand plans for the future
With Audi’s full takeover of Sauber already in motion, the German manufacturer is preparing for its highly anticipated Formula 1 debut in 2026. The appointment of Wheatley is yet another step toward securing a stable and competitive foundation for the team’s future.
“With Wheatley taking up his new role, the team takes another important step closer to Audi’s entry into the world’s premier racing series, with just over nine months until the celebrated marque officially becomes a Formula One team,” Sauber stated in the press release.
Wheatley brings decades of experience to the role, having started his F1 journey at Benetton in the early 1990s. He then progressed to Renault and later Red Bull, where he served as Sporting Director. Under his guidance, Red Bull Racing clinched six Constructors’ Championships and seven Drivers’ Championships.
Wheatley will inherit a vastly different Sauber than the one seen in previous seasons. Sauber’s restructuring means Wheatley and Binotto will share leadership duties. Together, they will guide the team through its final transition year before the Audi era officially begins.
“Binotto and Wheatley are together jointly responsible for the success of the racing team, under a structure that empowers both leaders with clearly defined roles and deliverables,” the statement read.
For Wheatley, this new role marks a fresh challenge outside the Red Bull ecosystem. Wheatley will also oversee a fresh driver lineup featuring veteran Nico Hulkenberg and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoletto.
With 2026 approaching, his appointment signals Audi’s intent, proving they’re serious about making a mark in F1. Suzuka will host Wheatley’s Team Principal debut, with many eager to see how he handles his new role.
