Audi has hired Red Bull team principal Jonathan Wheatley as team principal for its Formula 1 project.
Audi is in the process of taking over Sauber ahead of a complete rebrand in 2026.
“I am very pleased to have hired Jonathan Wheatley as a long-term director of our Formula 1 team,” Gernot Dollner, chief executive of Audi AG, said on Thursday.
“Jonathan has played a leading role in Formula 1 wins and World Championship titles during his F1 career so far, and he enjoys the paddock very much. He is a very valuable addition to our team. “
The German manufacturer recently hired former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto to oversee the project, who has delegated day-to-day control of the team to Wheatley.
Wheatley has been with Red Bull since 2006 and has slowly risen through the ranks.
He will leave the team at the end of the 2024 season before starting an era of gardening license, Red Bull has confirmed.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said of the departure: “It’s been a long and fruitful relationship with Jonathan, who is over 18 years old. His contribution to six constructors’ world titles and seven drivers’ world championships, first as team principal and, most recently, as sporting director, will remain a milestone in our team’s history. “
Reuters contributed to this report.