Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley has pushed the team “to get comfortable with being uncomfortable” as it prepares to assume the Audi moniker in Formula 1 in 2026.
Wheatley began his new position as Sauber Team Principal earlier this month, having vacated his long-standing role as Red Bull’s Sporting Director heading into 2025.
The Briton was appointed as Sauber was en route to finishing last in the Constructors’ Championship, but it is about to embark on a new era with Audi from next term.
Wheatley, who had been associated with Red Bull since 2006, expressed that the chance to lead the Hinwil-based squad through that transition has reinvigorated him.
“Actually, I was just saying to the guys before we came in here, it’s exciting; I’m re-energised,” Wheatley told media including Motorsport Week in Bahrain.
“There’s an energy in the company in this transition from Sauber to the Audi Formula 1 project.
“I feel like I’m in absolutely the right place, to be honest. My family and I, we’ve moved to Switzerland.
“It’s an amazing country, which I’ve kind of driven through but never stayed in, and honestly, we’re making it home for ourselves, and I feel very, very at home at Sauber.”
Sauber has been a perennial underachiever across recent times, but Wheatley has disclosed that the enthusiasm within the team has emerged as a pleasant surprise.
“Honestly, really positive,” he said regarding his initial impression of the team. “There’s a great energy in the team.
“There’s an excitement about the project moving forward.
“Some of these guys will know what it’s like to be in a smaller team, but it’s getting bigger.
“The people there, they look you in the eye. There’s an energy, which also I’m feeling. Honestly, it feels like a really great time to be there.”
Wheatley has long-term Sauber vision
Wheatley revealed that his gardening leave period has allowed him to approach the role with a clear, long-term vision in mind as he bids to overturn Sauber’s fortunes.
“Well, I think I’m about two weeks into the job,” he highlighted. “I’m trying to use my eyes, ears, and mouth in proportion, which is unusual for me.
“I’m just taking on as much information as I can. I have a plan, and I need to keep referring to that and remember what my views were when I came in.
“But largely, as I’ve said here today, I’m just encouraged by the energy and excitement in the organisation.”
But while he garnered extensive experience observing how Christian Horner translated Red Bull into a title-winning side, Wheatley is determined to forge his own path.
“I’m going to lead the team along with Mattia [Binotto] in my own way, and I’ve always been pretty sure of my own thoughts and my own views,” he outlined.
“I have a plan for how we can start this transformation journey and carry the momentum through it, and I’ll keep referring to it.”
Sauber urged to embrace Audi challenge
Wheatley admitted that he has urged Sauber to embrace the challenges that will arise in merging the work conducted in Hinwil with Audi’s engine venture in Germany.
“It’s part of the challenge, part of the fun and the excitement I have around starting this new role of this new team,” he explained.
“What I’ve found is at the moment I’m not seeing any issues in terms of the language, the language of the team, the way people are getting on, there’s an openness to learning.
“It’s part of the challenge of the role and as you know we’re looking to expand our horizons a little bit.
“As a team, it’s a small team that’s in the transition phase to becoming a fully-fledged Formula 1 works team.
“There’s a myriad of projects that we need to get right and one of those is meshing the people together, you know and as a team we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because change is coming and we have to be at the forefront of that and we need to have a clear roadmap as to where we’re headed and I believe we’re on that roadmap at the moment.”
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