Why Red Bull’s Jonathan Wheatley is a ‘critical appointment’ for Audi

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One of the key members of the Red Bull inner success team, Jonathan Wheatley, is set to leave the team in 2025 to join rivals Sauber as team principal.

Jonathan Wheatley will take up the role at Sauber during their transition to Audi midway through 2025, having become one of the many who have left the World Championship team this year including Adrian Newey and most recently chief strategist Will Courtenay after being poached by title rivals McLaren.

It was seen as a significant signing for Audi, largely because of Wheatley’s experience as the sporting director at Red Bull over the last 18 years he has been at the team.

He was already rumoured to have ambitions of becoming a team principal in F1, after being named a potential successor to Christian Horner if he was forced out of Red Bull amid the scandal earlier in the season.

Discussing Wheatley’s appointment at Sauber on the Flat Chat with Codders podcast, F1 expert Mark Gallagher has explained why it is a ‘critical appointment’ for the team.

Jonathan Wheatley to bring attention to detail at Audi

Wheatley will join Sauber amid a difficult season for the Swiss team, who have yet to amass any points with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

His experience and attention to detail will be welcome according to Gallagher, as they face the takeover from the German carmaker.

“There was a team of people who really helped to lead the charge at Red Bull and some of those key lieutenants who have now gone. In terms of designers, people like Rob Marshall and Peter Promodrou.

“But then you see someone like Jonathan and you think ‘Wow, that’s such a critical role that he plays there.’ And also not just his operational delivery for the team, the pit stops the way the teams organize the way it operates.

“Every facet, that attention to detail he’ll bring. Also, his understanding and knowledge of the regulations, what you can and cannot do, how you can operate, the pressure you can bring on your competitors in that regard. That’s a really critical appointment.”

Red Bull selects three staff members to replace Jonathan Wheatley including key Max Verstappen ally

Red Bull has selected three staff members to replace Wheatley in his current role, including former strategist Stephen Knowles who will take up the role of head of sporting regulations and senior engineer Richard Wolverson who is now head of racing operations.

Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will be stepping up to an expanded role which comes under the heading of ‘head of racing’ but will still be an engineer to the Dutchman.

READ MORE: McLaren ready to ‘unleash’ package as Red Bull ready to ‘hit back’ with upgrades

These appointments mark a significant change for Red Bull as they deal with the aftermath of losing Wheatley during their dip in form on track.

Red Bull is now 40 points behind McLaren in the Constructors Championship and having the catch-up in a development war in the final six races. The team will have a package ready in Austin where it is expected they will introduce a solution that cures their recent problems on track.