Jonathan Wheatley reveals the real reason he left Red Bull after 19 years to join Sauber

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Jonathan Wheatley is already looking like an excellent appointment for Sauber. He started the job in April after his departure from Red Bull.

Sauber have scored 51 points this season, having only managed four last year. It’s only gained them two spots in the standings, but Racing Bulls and Aston Martin are both in their sights.

The highlight of the season was undoubtedly Nico Hulkenberg’s first career podium at the British GP, while rookie Gabriel Bortoleto has also flourished in recent races. Wheatley can’t – and won’t – take credit for the improvements in car performance.

But what he has done, based on recent results, is raise standards operationally. And it gives the team an exciting foundation for Audi’s takeover this winter.

Jonathan Wheatley says Sauber changed his mind about becoming an F1 team boss

Wheatley joined Red Bull back in 2006 as team manager and later took on the role of sporting director. He was instrumental in four world championships apiece for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

The consensus was that he’d been team principal one day. Indeed, one journalist has learned that Wheatley put himself forward to replace Christian Horner last year.

But by the time Horner was sacked in July, Wheatley had already left. Speaking to De Telegraaf, he insisted that running a team was never his ambition.

But when he spoke to Audi CEO Gernot Dollner, he changed his mind. He felt it was time to leave his ‘comfort zone’.

• READ MORE: He was touted as Red Bull’s next team principal, but Christian Horner ‘never’ let him do interviews

“I can’t say that being a team principal has always been a dream of mine,” he said. “I always say I’ve been incredibly unambitious.

“It might sound crazy, but what I mean is that I’ve always fully committed myself to my employer in my role. When I say it was always my ultimate goal, it’s been a rather dramatic career path because it took me 34 years to achieve it.

“Last year, sitting in my office where I’d been for about nineteen years, I started thinking. Do I sign another long-term contract, remain sporting director, or do something outside my comfort zone? I’ve never been a frontrunner at Red Bull, and I didn’t want to be.

“From the moment I spoke with Gernot Dollner, I was enthusiastic. And I felt like I needed that.

Jonathan Wheatley shares whether he wants to work with Max Verstappen again

Elsewhere in the interview, Wheatley defended both Max and Jos Verstappen. He feels they’re duly painted as ‘villains’ in F1.

Wheatley previously worked with Michael Schumacher and recalls a similar narrative. While the Verstappens are prone to outbursts in the ‘heat of the moment’, the coverage only tells ‘one side of the story’.

“You know, things like that were said about Michael Schumacher, too, to paint him as the villain,” he recalled. “But Max and Jos are perhaps the most sincere and honest people you can meet.

“They’re incredibly passionate, and yes, Jos is emotionally invested in what Max does. But why would you think you can achieve anything if you don’t do it with complete dedication?

“In the heat of the moment, something sometimes gets thrown out, but often only one side of the story is presented. I know them very differently.”

Wheatley refused to rule out trying to sign Verstappen for Audi one day. Of course, the team must reach a race-winning level to attract a driver of his calibre.

He said: “Do I dream of ever working with Max again? Well, if I were to say here as team principal that I didn’t want the best driver in Formula 1 in my team, I wouldn’t be the right person to be here.”