Red Bull Racing Faces Leadership Change as Jonathan Wheatley Departs for Audi
- Red Bull's long-time sporting director, Jonathan Wheatley, leaves to join Audi after being with the team since 2006.
- This departure follows the resignation of Red Bull's chief technical officer, Adrian Newey.
- Wheatley becomes the latest senior figure to depart from Red Bull, signaling a significant change within the team.
In a significant shift for Red Bull Racing, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley has announced his departure at the end of the current season to assume the role of team principal for Audi's Formula 1 project. This move comes amid a challenging season for Red Bull, which has seen various ups and downs. Wheatley, 56, has long harbored ambitions to lead a team and has been exploring opportunities within the F1 grid, as reported by The Times in May. Wheatley will continue his duties with Red Bull until the conclusion of the season in December, after which he will enter a period of gardening leave before officially joining Audi in early 2025. Audi is set to take over the Sauber team, which will be rebranded as Stake F1, and the company is also preparing to become an engine manufacturer starting in 2026. Expressing his sentiments, Wheatley stated, “I am extremely proud to have been a part of the Red Bull Racing journey.” His departure marks a pivotal moment for the team, which has enjoyed considerable success in recent years but is now navigating a period of transition. As Red Bull Racing prepares for the future, the team will need to address the leadership vacuum left by Wheatley’s exit and strategize for the upcoming seasons in a highly competitive Formula 1 landscape.