Jonathan Wheatley is considering leaving Red Bull Racing due to his ambition to become a team boss, with talks underway with two unnamed Formula One teams, amidst speculation about potential roles at Alpine and Sauber/Stake F1 Team, both of which are undergoing significant organizational changes.
Highlights
‣ Jonathan Wheatley is considering his future in Formula One, with options including staying with Red Bull Racing or moving to another team.
‣ Wheatley has ambitions to become a team boss, a position not available at Red Bull as long as Christian Horner remains in charge. He is currently in talks with two unspecified teams, with Alpine and Sauber/Stake F1 Team being the most likely options.
‣ Alpine is undergoing internal reorganization, with a focus on improving performance, engineering, and aerodynamics, which could benefit from Wheatley’s experience.
‣ Sauber/Stake F1 Team is preparing for its transition to an Audi factory team in 2026, with significant changes in personnel and leadership roles, potentially opening a spot for Wheatley.
Jonathan Wheatley’s future? Now, that’s a puzzle wrapped in an enigma. Will he hang up his gloves after this season, or will Red Bull Racing manage to keep him with a shiny new contract? Rumor has it, the sporting director’s juggling options, deep in talks with not one, but two other Formula One teams, The Times whispers.
Just last weekend, a little birdie let slip Wheatley’s got his eyes on the big chair. Team boss, no less. But with Christian Horner firmly in place at Red Bull, that chair’s not about to get vacated anytime soon. So, he’s been sniffing around, seeing if the grass might just be greener on the other side. But which sides, you ask? Ah, that’s the million-dollar question.
Now, if you’re putting money on it, Alpine and Sauber/Stake F1 Team would be your best bets. The other seven? They’re not even in the running, no open seats at their tables.
### Alpine
Over at Alpine, Bruno Famin’s keeping the seat warm. But don’t get it twisted; he’s more of a placeholder than a permanent fixture. Stepped in when Otmar Szafnauer bowed out last season. And with Alpine sitting at eighth in the constructors’ championship, thanks to Esteban Ocon‘s hustle in Miami, they’re shaking things up. Enter David Sanchez, the new kid on the block, tasked with whipping performance, engineering, and aerodynamics into shape. Could Wheatley be the missing piece in their puzzle?
### Sauber/StakeF1 Team
Then there’s the Sauber/Stake F1 Team. They’re on the brink of a new dawn, set to morph into an Audi factory team by 2026. Andreas Seidl’s steering the ship, with Nico Hulkenberg signed on to bring the thunder. Valtteri Bottas? He’s got a fresh voice in his ear, courtesy of a Ferrari defector. And with new faces popping up left, right, and center, Alessandro Alunni Bravi’s future’s looking a bit foggy. The man’s been a Sauber stalwart, but with the Audi takeover, who’s to say if he’ll stick around?
So, could Wheatley be plotting a course to follow in the footsteps of Lee Stevenson, Max Verstappen‘s ex-chief mechanic who jumped ship to Stake F1 Team not too long ago? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure, the F1 paddock’s never short on drama.
