Latest news with #JonathanWheatley
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Red Bull's 2025 Form Shocks Former Director After Sauber Comparison
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Red Bull Racing sporting director Jonathan Wheatley has expressed surprise at the statistical findings comparing Red Bull and Sauber Formula One teams. Wheatley announced his Red Bull exit mid-2024 and joined Sauber this year as team principal, but little did he expect that things would turn around so quickly. Sauber has been undergoing several changes at many levels before Audi completes the full takeover of the outfit in 2026. The year is also a historical period for F1, given the new chassis and engine regulations that kick in for the first time in over a decade. The year will also mark the entry of automotive giant General Motors. GM's Cadillac F1 is gearing up to enter the grid next year as the eleventh team. But Audi has been revamping Sauber's operations since last year as Sauber continued to race in the premier class. The German marque appointed former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto as the chief operating officer and chief technical officer. Wheatley's Sauber joining this year completes the team's dual management structure. Given that managerial changes impact track performance, Sauber's chosen direction has yielded positive results thus far. Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2025 in... Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. MoreThe Hinwil-based outfit finished last in the 2024 Constructors' Championship after having scored a mere four points. With twelve rounds ticked so far in 2025, Sauber is sixth in the championship with 41 points, a stark contrast to last year. Notably, Nico Hulkenberg contributed 31 points to the team's tally. An overhauled leadership and updated driver lineup, combined with timely upgrades on the C45 F1 car, have led to significant improvements. Surprisingly, Hulkenberg's points tally this season so far is higher than what Red Bull's second driver scored in the last eleven months. Max Verstappen has raced alongside three different teammates since the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, namely Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, and now Yuki Tsunoda. All three drivers collectively scored 28 points since the race in Zandvoort. When Wheatley was asked about the impressive turnaround in Sauber's performance, he told RacingNews365: "I would never have believed it possible. I know the quality of that operation. I know the talent of the people who are there. "It's interesting that when you leave one team for another, even a team competing for world championships and coming to a team aspiring to compete for world championships, there are things done better there, and things done better here. "That's the fascinating thing with this sport. There is so much talent in it." Wheatley is confident that Sauber is on the right path. He added: "Of course, Mattia and I, our job is to try to channel the team, direct it in the right direction, and get it moving in that direction. My feeling is the ship's turning, and we're starting to point the right way."
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How Jonathan Wheatley wants Sauber to use F1 podium momentum in Audi transformation
Jonathan Wheatley says he is relishing the chance to carry Sauber's mid-season momentum into 2026, as the team transitions into the Audi Formula 1 outfit. Wheatley officially joined Sauber in April after leaving Red Bull and has already overseen steady improvements during his short tenure as team principal. Advertisement At the Austrian Grand Prix, Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth and scored his first points in F1, while a major payday came at the British GP where Nico Hulkenberg claimed his first podium in 239 F1 starts by finishing third – marking Sauber's first podium since 2012. Wheatley says he is looking to build on that form as the team prepares for its transformation into an Audi-run operation next season. When asked by at the Goodwood Festival of Speed about the team's progress, he joked: 'I don't think I've achieved much, to be honest, except for a successful move to Switzerland! 'No, it's been wonderful working with the team. Obviously, Matteo [Binotto, Sauber's COO] put a huge amount of work in before I arrived, and so got the ball was rolling from that point. Advertisement 'It's been great to just absorb myself in the team and try to understand how it works, to add a little bit of guidance here and there, and now, when I sat on the pitwall at Silverstone, it really feels like it's coming together. Watch: Why Bortoleto Is Already Confident About Audi's 2026 F1 Potential 'My first race was Suzuka and the Japanese GP [in April]. I've done 10 races in 13 weeks or something like that. It's been it's been quite a period of time. I think from the moment we brought the first upgrade to the car, you could see the confidence in the drivers all of a sudden, they could push the car, they could string together consecutive qualifying laps, and it puts us in a position where we can maximise our advantage. 'There's a lot of work going on before I got here, and I don't want to stand here and take credit for things. It's a huge team at work here. They made the big steps in terms of equipment but also coaching confidence in the crew and things like pitstops, which are a manifestation of team spirit. When you see a team relaxed delivering good pitstops, that's a happy team.' Advertisement As F1 teams prepare for the biggest regulation change in its history with new chassis and engine rules, Wheatley knows that despite having Audi's backing the team faces a serious challenge in overhauling the traditional frontrunners. However, he says that challenge was what lured him away from Red Bull to join the Audi project, which he believes is one of the most exciting developments in F1. 'It was a year ago, almost to the day, where I had my job interview. I drove from here at Goodwood to Southampton Airport where I met with Audi and we discussed the project. I've been on the hook ever since,' he said. 'I grew up watching Audi Quattros smashing through the forest with flames coming out of the exhaust! Audi always did it differently and it's fantastic to be part of that journey. It is probably the biggest thing in our sport at the moment. The greatest good news story in sport. It's fantastic for F1 and everyone should be excited about it. Advertisement Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH, with Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, with the new Audi Sport concept car Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH, with Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, with the new Audi Sport concept car 'We have to be humble about the challenge that we face. It's going to be tough to get to the same level as the established teams, and to smash through that level requires a level of momentum. 'But I firmly believe we're going to be there. We're on the road already. We've put ourselves in a position where we were able to capitalise on some wet-weather situations. 'Very soon I'm going to have four rings on a shirt, and I'm going to be the happiest team principal in F1.' Read Also: Sauber opens new technology centre ahead of Audi F1 takeover To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How Jonathan Wheatley wants Sauber to use F1 podium momentum in Audi transformation
Jonathan Wheatley says he is relishing the chance to carry Sauber's mid-season momentum into 2026, as the team transitions into the Audi Formula 1 outfit. Wheatley officially joined Sauber in April after leaving Red Bull and has already overseen steady improvements during his short tenure as team principal. Advertisement At the Austrian Grand Prix, Gabriel Bortoleto finished eighth and scored his first points in F1, while a major payday came at the British GP where Nico Hulkenberg claimed his first podium in 239 F1 starts by finishing third – marking Sauber's first podium since 2012. Wheatley says he is looking to build on that form as the team prepares for its transformation into an Audi-run operation next season. When asked by at the Goodwood Festival of Speed about the team's progress, he joked: 'I don't think I've achieved much, to be honest, except for a successful move to Switzerland! 'No, it's been wonderful working with the team. Obviously, Matteo [Binotto, Sauber's COO] put a huge amount of work in before I arrived, and so got the ball was rolling from that point. Advertisement 'It's been great to just absorb myself in the team and try to understand how it works, to add a little bit of guidance here and there, and now, when I sat on the pitwall at Silverstone, it really feels like it's coming together. Watch: Why Bortoleto Is Already Confident About Audi's 2026 F1 Potential 'My first race was Suzuka and the Japanese GP [in April]. I've done 10 races in 13 weeks or something like that. It's been it's been quite a period of time. I think from the moment we brought the first upgrade to the car, you could see the confidence in the drivers all of a sudden, they could push the car, they could string together consecutive qualifying laps, and it puts us in a position where we can maximise our advantage. 'There's a lot of work going on before I got here, and I don't want to stand here and take credit for things. It's a huge team at work here. They made the big steps in terms of equipment but also coaching confidence in the crew and things like pitstops, which are a manifestation of team spirit. When you see a team relaxed delivering good pitstops, that's a happy team.' Advertisement As F1 teams prepare for the biggest regulation change in its history with new chassis and engine rules, Wheatley knows that despite having Audi's backing the team faces a serious challenge in overhauling the traditional frontrunners. However, he says that challenge was what lured him away from Red Bull to join the Audi project, which he believes is one of the most exciting developments in F1. 'It was a year ago, almost to the day, where I had my job interview. I drove from here at Goodwood to Southampton Airport where I met with Audi and we discussed the project. I've been on the hook ever since,' he said. 'I grew up watching Audi Quattros smashing through the forest with flames coming out of the exhaust! Audi always did it differently and it's fantastic to be part of that journey. It is probably the biggest thing in our sport at the moment. The greatest good news story in sport. It's fantastic for F1 and everyone should be excited about it. Advertisement Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH, with Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, with the new Audi Sport concept car Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH, with Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, with the new Audi Sport concept car 'We have to be humble about the challenge that we face. It's going to be tough to get to the same level as the established teams, and to smash through that level requires a level of momentum. 'But I firmly believe we're going to be there. We're on the road already. We've put ourselves in a position where we were able to capitalise on some wet-weather situations. 'Very soon I'm going to have four rings on a shirt, and I'm going to be the happiest team principal in F1.' Read Also: Sauber opens new technology centre ahead of Audi F1 takeover To read more articles visit our website.
CNA
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Hulkenberg's podium will boost belief in Sauber, says Wheatley
LONDON :Nico Hulkenberg's breakthrough podium for Swiss-based Sauber at the British Grand Prix will boost belief in the future Audi works team, according to principal Jonathan Wheatley. Hulkenberg, 37, finished third at Silverstone for the German's first podium finish in 239 starts - an achievement many thought would never happen for a driver who made his Formula One debut 15 years ago. He also started last on the grid in Sunday's chaotic and rain-affected race, another element that made his success even more surreal. "Really for me, what I've taken from today is people start believing in us," Wheatley told a much bigger crowd of reporters than usual outside the Sauber paddock hospitality on Sunday evening. "I can say the words, I can say we're gaining momentum, I can say we're putting performance on the car, I can say (overall boss) Mattia (Binotto) and all the hard work he's been putting in before I came here is coming to light. "But it's true. We've got a very long journey towards where we need to be as a team and it's a great step when you're starting on that journey." Sauber were last overall with just four points last season after finishing ninth out of 10 the year before, but new management has arrested a downward spiral and turned fortunes around. Former Ferrari boss Binotto has overall charge of the project, with Wheatley joining from Red Bull to run the team at the racetrack and prepare for the transformation into Audi next season. Sauber also have an all-new lineup this year of Hulkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, last year's Formula Two champion. Already this season Hulkenberg has finished fifth in Spain to lift Sauber off the bottom of the standings and he has scored in his last four races, with the team now only 18 points behind fifth-placed Williams. His points tally of 37 in 12 races is already far more than the team scored in the last two seasons combined. Asked whether Sauber were further ahead than expected in their plan for the future, Wheatley refused to tempt fate. "You can think of the plan as a straight line and there's some hairpins on the way and there's some stoplights and traffic works," he said.
TimesLIVE
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Wheatley confident Audi will be winners in Formula 1
Timing is everything in Formula One and Jonathan Wheatley reckons he got his right in leaving Red Bull, the team with the most race wins and drivers' titles this century, to become principal of Sauber. The Swiss-based team will become the Audi works outfit from next season but were at the bottom of the standings until Nico Hulkenberg's fifth place in Spain last Sunday raised them two places to eighth. Sauber have won only once since 1993 - in 2008 when owned by BMW - and there are nagging questions about how competitive the 2026 engine will be, with early reports not encouraging. But Wheatley said they had all the building blocks for success. "We're looking at a campus expansion, we've got an ambitious programme ahead of us and investment from Audi and QIA (Qatar Investment Authority). I'm really super-excited about where we're at," the Briton told Reuters. "I do not come to work to make up the numbers. I absolutely believe we'll get on that path and we'll be winning races and world championships." Wheatley has decades of experience, in his 35th year in Formula One after starting as a junior mechanic with Benetton. He joined Red Bull from Renault in 2006 and was sporting director when he left at the end of last season. With Red Bull he won six constructors' titles, eight drivers' titles and 120 grands prix. He was also instrumental in securing Max Verstappen's first title in 2021 after a radio conversation with race director Michael Masi triggered a fateful change to the safety car procedure. The Briton said such experiences had shaped him and would help in his new role, which he started in April.
