Red Bull sent ‘the end’ warning after what Mattia Binotto has seen at the F1 champions

Follow us on Google Discover

Red Bull are six-time Formula 1 constructors’ champions after winning the last two teams’ titles, but Audi/Sauber COO Mattia Binotto has fired them a bleak warning.

The team from Milton Keynes re-emerged as the dominant force on the grid in 2022 after F1 re-introduced ground-effect cars. Red Bull hit the ball out of the park whilst their rival teams struggled to get to grips with the regulations and it took for 2024 before they got caught up.

Design guru Adrian Newey, who will join Aston Martin in 2025, steering Red Bull through the re-introduction of ground-effect cars was a huge benefit. His experience of the philosophy in Formula 1 proved hugely helpful as Max Verstappen took his second and third drivers’ titles.

Audi F1 COO Mattia Binotto thinks Red Bull are at ‘the end’ of their dominance

Newey not working on Red Bull’s F1 car since April has even coincided with their dominance fading this season. McLaren currently lead Red Bull in the constructors’ championship by 41 points ahead of the United States Grand Prix, which kicks off the final six rounds of the term.

For Binotto, the Audi F1 chief operating officer believes Red Bull’s brain drain this season has helped to bring about ‘the end’ of their dominance of F1. Along with Newey quitting as their chief technical officer, Audi has hired Jonathan Wheatley to be the team principal of Sauber.

READ MORE: All to know about Jonathan Wheatley as Audi/Sauber sign new team principal

McLaren have also hired Red Bull’s head of race strategy Will Courtenay to be their sporting director. The trio have all been in Milton Keynes since near the start of Red Bull’s team in F1. So, with teams on the rise, Binotto does not see a great future for Red Bull as they flounder.

“[I am] happy for Jonathan’s arrival,” Binotto has told Corriere della Sera. “We have followed a similar path to different teams. His hiring is an important signal.

“If he has come to us, it is because he has guarantees. As for Red Bull, well, cycles have a beginning and an end, always in F1. I think Red Bull are at the end.”

Jonathan Wheatley will take Red Bull’s secrets to Audi/Sauber in 2025

Audi/Sauber, Aston Martin and McLaren have taken away three of Red Bull’s big-hitters with Wheatley, Newey and Courtenay all quitting the team Milton Keynes this year. Each will stay at Red Bull through the 2024 season to some degree, before then starting to depart in 2025.

Sporting director Wheatley will leave Red Bull to become the team principal of Audi/Sauber by July 2025 at the latest. Newey will quit Red Bull to take over as Aston Martin’s managing technical partner in March 2025. Red Bull want to keep Courtenay until mid-2026, however.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Sauber and Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto

Binotto will be especially pleased that Wheatley has agreed to leave Red Bull and join as the team principal of Sauber in 2025 ahead of Audi turning the Swiss squad into its works entry. The Briton joined the energy drink’s team right after helping Renault win both titles in 2005.

His almost two decades at Red Bull will now prove hugely beneficial for Audi as the German automotive giant bids to turn Sauber into a title-contending F1 team. Wheatley knows all of Red Bull’s secrets with the keys to making a midfield Formula 1 team a dominant champion.