Jonathan Wheatley Joins Stake As Team Principal; Will Make His Race Debut At Japanese Grand Prix

Jonathan Wheatley will take up the role of Team Principal of Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber from April 1st, 2025, as the organisation, which will run the Audi F1 Factory team from 2026 onwards, continues to implement its transition strategy. Wheatley, a highly respected and successful leader in Formula One, will make his race debut as Team Principal at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Together with Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer, Mattia Binotto, Wheatley will jointly lead the management team at Sauber Motorsport AG. 

With Wheatley taking up his new role, the team takes another important step closer to Audi’s entry into the world’s premier racing series, with just over nine months until the celebrated marque officially becomes a Formula One team. 

Wheatley’s career in Formula One started at Benetton Formula One back in the early 1990s, where he rose to become chief mechanic. Following three years as chief mechanic at Renault Formula One, Wheatley joined the newly founded Red Bull Racing team in 2006, where he achieved considerable success as Sporting Director. During his time at the Milton Keynes team, Red Bull Racing secured six constructor’s and seven Driver’s World Championships. 

In their respective positions, both Binotto and Wheatley report directly to Gernot Döllner in his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG. Binotto and Wheatley are together jointly responsible for the success of the racing team, under a structure that empowers both leaders with clearly defined roles and deliverables.