F1 insider sheds light on key overlooked aspect following Horner’s departure

It’s been over a week since Christian Horner officially stepped down as Red Bull’s CEO and Team Principal, yet his name remains—understandably—one of the main topics of conversation, as fans and pundits await the return of on-track action in Belgium next week.

As has long been known, the Leamington Spa-born team boss made quite a few enemies over the years—both in the paddock and within his own team—ultimately losing the support of Red Bull's Thai ownership, led by Chalerm Yoovidhya.

During his two-decade run of major success at the helm of the Milton Keynes-based team, Horner consistently took on the role of front man—always ready to put himself out there, for better or worse, in defense of his team.

Now that Horner is no longer in the picture, Dutch commentator Nelson Valkenburg has highlighted an interesting point: Jonathan Wheatley—who also left the team last year amid the broader exodus—was never really given the opportunity to represent the team in the media or speak on its behalf.

“We were never able to talk to Jonathan Wheatley, It was a hard ‘no’ within the team,'' he pointed out while appearing at the Nailing the Apex podcast.

The former Red Bull Sporting Director now faces a major challenge: leading the transition from Sauber to Audi in preparation for 2026, the year the German giant will make its historic debut in Formula 1 with the introduction of the new technical regulations.

Under his leadership, the Swiss team has already made significant progress, as evidenced by Nico Hulkenberg’s podium finish at Silverstone two weeks ago and their current sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.