Red Bull Racing will lose one of its major officials after Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley departs the team at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 Season.
The 57-year-old mechanic has been with the reigning Constructors' Champions since their second season in Formula One in 2006, accumulating 19 seasons of experience and success with the team.
"It has been a long and successful relationship with Jonathan, over 18 years. His contribution to six World Constructors’ Titles and seven World Drivers’ Championship, first as Team Manager and latterly Sporting Director, will forever be a marker in our Team history," Red Bull CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner said in the team's official statement .
Wheatley is set to be the second major figure to leave Red Bull this season after legendary engineer and Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey stepped away from his duties with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit with immediate effect last May.
Jonathan Wheatley Set To Be Audi F1 Team Principal
Wheatley will not be out of a job for long. He is set to be the Team Principal of the upcoming Audi F1 Team, which will make its debut in the 2026 Formula 1 Season.
The British executive will take a gardening leave in 2025 before taking over the German outfit.
“I am delighted that we have gained Jonathan Wheatley as Team Principal for our future Formula 1 team. Jonathan has played a major part in many Formula 1 race victories and World Championship titles in his Formula 1 career so far and has extensive experience in the paddock. He is a very valuable addition to our team," Audi AG CEO Gernot Döllner said in a statement .
Wheatley will spearhead the Audi F1 Team operations alongside Mattia Binotto, who was appointed the team's chief operating officer and chief technical officer on August 1.
Binotto served as Scuderia Ferrari's Team Principal from 2019 to 2022.
Audi's Formula 1 debut in 2026 coincides with a major regulations overhaul , which will see new car configurations, power units, rule changes, and more.
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