Red Bull faces another significant departure as sporting director Jonathan Wheatley is set to become Audi’s team principal.
In recent months, the Formula 1 champions have been working to extend contracts for several key engineers, but Wheatley’s contract was notably missing. It has now been revealed that Wheatley will leave Red Bull at the end of the current season.
Audi, which will officially join Formula 1 in 2026 by taking over Sauber, has appointed Wheatley, who will serve a year of gardening leave before assuming his new role.
Wheatley, who joined Red Bull in 2006 after serving as chief mechanic at Renault, has had a successful 18-year tenure with the team in Milton Keynes.
Team principal Christian Horner praised his longtime colleague Jonathan Wheatley, saying, “Jonathan’s contribution to our six world constructors’ titles and seven world drivers’ championships over 18 years is a key part of our history.”
Wheatley follows chief technical officer Adrian Newey in leaving Red Bull, marking a significant loss for the team. Red Bull’s recent struggles on track, with McLaren and Mercedes winning multiple races from Max Verstappen, underscore the impact of these departures.
Despite this, Red Bull announced Wheatley’s exit before Audi commented, stating, “Today, Oracle Red Bull Racing announces the departure of Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley, as he heads to a new challenge, taking up the role of Team Principal with the Audi F1 Project.”
With Wheatley gone, questions arise about Verstappen’s future, as Mercedes reportedly shows keen interest in signing him.
