Jonathan Wheatley

Jonathan Wheatley has been the team principal of the Stake Sauber F1 Team since 2025. The Swiss team will be taken over by Audi ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season. In this project, he works alongside former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto as the leadership of the team. Previously, the Brit worked as the sporting director at Red Bull Racing, where he worked from 2006 to 2024, celebrating a remarkable eight wins in the Drivers' Championship with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Wheatley already has a long career in F1. The 57-year-old Brit began in 1991 as a mechanic at Benetton, the same year that Michael Schumacher made his Grand Prix debut in the pinnacle of motorsport. Initially, the German drove for Jordan, but after just one race, Benetton signed him. Wheatley worked his way up at the Italian team to become the chief mechanic and worked with several drivers, including Jos Verstappen. Even when Benetton evolved into Renault, Wheatley stayed loyal to the team, continuing to work with Fernando Alonso, who won his first World Championship in 2005. In 2006, the Brit moved to Red Bull.

At Red Bull, Wheatley took on several responsibilities. He ensured that the team operated within the FIA's sporting regulations and was also responsible for communication between the team, the governing body, and the race control. Additionally, he oversaw Red Bull's pit crew, which has been one of the fastest in Formula 1 for many years.

Wheatley had previously made it clear that he had ambitions to become a team principal and was even mentioned as a candidate when there was unrest surrounding the investigation into Christian Horner before the 2024 season. Horner remained in his role, and after the announced departure of CTO Adrian Newey, rumors about Wheatley's potential departure increased.

In the summer of 2024, it was confirmed: Wheatley would leave Red Bull after the current F1 season. After eighteen years with the team, he felt it was time for a new challenge. From the Japanese Grand Prix onward, he will take his place on the pit wall as the team principal of Sauber. All eyes are naturally on Audi, which will join the grid in 2026 following the acquisition of Sauber. Together with Binotto, who was announced as CTO shortly before, he will lead the German manufacturer's F1 project.

Forbes estimates Wheatley's net worth at 4.6 billion dollars, which roughly converts to 4.3 billion euros.