Red Bull’s post-Jonathan Wheatley plan uncovered with Helmut Marko vow made
Helmut Marko was a successful racing driver in his own right before taking up a senior position at Red Bull
Helmut Marko has vowed that Red Bull “will fight for every employee” after Jonathan Wheatley became the latest high-profile figure to leave the team in F1 2024.
Marko’s comments come after it emerged that Red Bull are set to promote from within to replace Wheatley, with the sporting director role poised to be split between a number of people.
Helmut Marko insists Red Bull ‘well positioned’ after Jonathan Wheatley exit
Red Bull announced earlier this month that Wheatley is to leave the team to take up the role of Audi F1 team principal, with the news of his exit coming just months after confirmation of F1 design guru Adrian Newey’s departure in May.
Wheatley, who has been credited for Red Bull’s standard-setting pit-stop performances over recent years, is expected to start work with Audi in July 2025 at the latest as the German manufacturer gears up for its F1 entry with the existing Sauber team in 2026.
Newey, meanwhile, is poised to join Aston Martin, with reports last week claiming the F1 design guru has “finalised” a three-year agreement worth $100million.
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With the departures of Wheatley and Newey, who have both played instrumental roles in Red Bull’s F1 success with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, fears are growing that Red Bull are nearing the end of an era.
Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, revealed the Milton Keynes outfit intend to blood new talent, commenting in the statement confirming Wheatley’s departure that the 57-year-old’s exit “provides opportunity to elevate others within the team” and showcase Red Bull’s “tremendous strengths and depth.”
Marko has played down suggestions that Newey and Wheatley could try to lure staff away from Red Bull, insisting the team “will fight” to keep every team member.
“We are broad and well positioned,” Marko is quoted as saying by German publication Auto Motor und Sport.”And we will fight for every employee.”
Wheatley is known to have been seeking a move into team management for some time, with PlanetF1.com reporting in the days after the Miami Grand Prix in May that the long-serving sporting director was considering his future during contract renegotiation with Red Bull.
Marko has admitted that Red Bull could not match Audi’s offer to Wheatley, adding: “We wouldn’t have been able to keep up.”
In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com at the recent Belgian Grand Prix (bottom), Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché stressed the need for the team to embrace change with more talent coming through the ranks.
Asked if a new chapter is beginning at Red Bull, he said: “For sure, but it’s not [new].
“Before, we had Peter Prodromou, who left after 2014. Mark Ellis [left after 2013].
“It’s the nature of the team, and the leaders who left – they were a leader in their area. But it’s a natural aspect of each organisation.
“For sure, [Adrian] was a big figure of the system. But at one point, we give a chance to the younger, bright people to embrace this challenge, like I have now.
“Some people like Enrico [Balbo, head of aero], Ben Waterhouse [head of performance engineering], Craig [Skinner, chief designer], Paul [Monaghan, chief engineer], it is good for the people and for the team.”
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