Jonathan Wheatley's journey to becoming an F1 Team Principal began with a near car crash.

      Clive Rose

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      If you believe that certain paths are destined, then it’s easy to see Jonathan Wheatley as a natural fit for brilliance in Formula 1. Although I didn't inquire whether Audi's inaugural team principal and current Sauber F1 leader believes in fate, instinct tells me he’s aware of his life's purpose to win championships.

      From working on Michael Schumacher's Benetton in the '90s to assisting Fernando Alonso’s Renault in the 2000s, and contributing to the growth of the Red Bull Racing organization over the last twenty years, Wheatley’s journey from mechanic to exceptional boss has spanned 35 years. Despite numerous race victories, championships, and setting world records for the fastest pit stops, the 58-year-old from Beaconsfield managed to evade the media spotlight—allowing his more flamboyant superiors to take center stage—until the Miami Grand Prix last year.

      A turbulent start to Red Bull’s season—sparked by accusations against Christian Horner and the upcoming exit of Adrian Newey—focused attention on the Milton Keynes team as the F1 circus arrived in the U.S. It worsened when news broke of yet another senior RBR staff member leaving, and Wheatley suddenly found his media presence amplified significantly.

      Dan Istitene – Formula 1

      After spending three decades understanding the dynamics of race-winning F1 teams, he landed the major assignment. In fact, two significant roles. On August 1, 2024, Wheatley was appointed as Sauber’s team principal (effective mid-2025 following a gardening leave) and in 2026, he will assume his permanent position as the team principal of the new Audi F1 Team.

      I had a conversation with Wheatley about his career, which, like those of many influencers in the sport, is more a lifestyle than merely a job.

      From Mechanic to Management

      Jerry Perez: I would love to hear about the beginning of your career—not just your formal employment in motorsport, but going back to your childhood. What ignited your interest in racing? What sparked your passion for cars and your desire to become a mechanic?

      Jonathan Wheatley: Well, if I recline on the sofa for a moment, it’s been quite a journey. I was brought up in a family that loved motor racing. My father raced Lotus Cortinas, Ford GT40s, Lola T70s, Can-Am cars, and Formula 5000s—anything he could get. For as long as I can remember, I was part of that world. There were always racing-related items around the house; my dad’s race suit being cleaned on Sundays, me donning his crash helmet and pretending to drive, and the racing cars in the garage. I spent my childhood climbing in and out of them, figuring out how to change gears, and pressing the brake pedals of those remarkable cars. The smell of fumes still transports me back to my childhood.

      So while my father played a significant role in my motorsport journey, I also enjoyed a typical childhood. I climbed every tree I could find and participated in activities that kids today don't usually do, like freely wandering around Silverstone, climbing up grandstands, and bothering the marshals. I believe I attended my first British Grand Prix when I was one or two years old, sitting in a grandstand wrapped in a blanket with my mother, which meant I grew up around racetracks. When I wasn’t in school, I was either with my dad or helping his mechanics, initially being a nuisance, but eventually acquiring the mechanical skills that led me to F1.

      Mark Thompson

      My father once took me to a track called Rye House in the U.K. He got my brother and me a 100cc kart to share, and I can still clearly remember the moment I accelerated out of the pit lane in that two-stroke kart, thinking, “Wow.” From that day forward, my dream was to become an F1 world champion. Ultimately, that would come true, albeit from the other side of the pit wall—so not quite as I had envisioned.

      I must have been around 9 or 10 at that time. By the time I was 12 or 13, I began stopping by a well-known Ferrari restoration firm called DK Engineering on my way home from school. I would sweep floors, take out the bins, annoy the mechanics, and just generally immerse myself. After leaving school, I did an apprenticeship there. I’ve always been adept with my hands; I used to build Tamiya and Airfix models and was fascinated with how things worked. I constantly took things apart and tried to reassemble them. That curiosity and my hands-on skills laid a solid foundation for my career as a mechanic. Naturally, my love for cars played a role too, and that inquisitive spirit