FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - February 28, 2024 Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
(Reuters) -Red Bull's long-serving sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will leave the Formula One champions at the end of the year to take up a new job as principal of rivals Audi, Red Bull said on Thursday.
Audi have taken over Swiss-based Sauber and will enter the sport with a factory team from 2026.
"Jonathan will remain in his position until the end of the 2024 season, as the team seek to defend both our world drivers’ and world constructors’ titles successfully," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner in a statement.
"A period of gardening leave will follow in 2025."
Horner said Wheatley had contributed to six world constructors’ titles and seven world drivers' championships in 18 years at Red Bull.
"Everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology wish him all the best in his new role and would like to place our thanks to Jonathan," he added.
"Red Bull Racing have tremendous strength and depth and this provides opportunity to elevate others within the team. We will announce a new team structure in the coming weeks."
There was no immediate comment from Sauber, with Thursday a holiday in Switzerland, or Audi on Red Bull's surprise announcement.
Audi announced on July 23 that former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto would lead Audi's Formula One project, starting from Thursday, with bosses Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl departing.
Binotto's formal title is Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer at Sauber Motorsport but Audi have said the Italian will ultimately be responsible for the team's sporting success.
Wheatley's departure comes after Red Bull's technical head Adrian Newey, the sport's most highly regarded and sought after designer, announced in May that he would be leaving in the first quarter of 2025.
It was reported at the time that he had decided to move on following allegations about Horner that dominated the early part of the season.
Horner was cleared in February of alleged misconduct, which he denied, towards a female employee who lodged an appeal against the outcome.
Red Bull are also ending their partnership with Honda at the end of next season and making their own engine with backing from Ford when the sport starts a new power unit era in 2026.
The Milton Keynes-based team are leading both championships after 14 races, with Max Verstappen well on his way to his fourth title.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Andrew Heavens and Toby Davis)
