Audi F1's New Boss Jonathan Wheatley: A Hardcore Motorsport Fan’s Journey from Mechanic to Team Leader

Audi has officially entered the 2025 Formula 1 season, appointing Jonathan Wheatley—a true car enthusiast with hands-on roots rather than a conventional executive—as its new team principal. Wheatley began his career in the early 1990s as a junior mechanic at Benetton and steadily rose through the ranks to become Sporting Director at Red Bull Racing, where he played a key role in securing multiple championship titles. Passionate about cars since childhood, he was adjusting tire pressures for his father at age eight and has long enjoyed tinkering with and modifying classic vehicles. In daily life, he drives an Audi RS6 and a classic Quattro, and owns a 1967 Porsche 911—born in the same month as he is—which he personally maintains and restores. He admits modern cars are too "easy to drive" and finds greater satisfaction in enhancing the driving experience of vintage cars through modifications. With his blend of real-world experience and genuine passion, Wheatley is poised to lead Audi to a spectacular debut in Formula 1.