174 replies to this topic

[SophieB]

@ChrisMedlandF1

Jonathan Wheatley is leaving Red Bull to become the new team principal of the Audi F1 project #F1

 

The sporting director has been at Red Bull for 18 years and will remain in place until the end of 2024, before going on gardening leave at the start of 2025 #F1

 

After giving his thanks to Wheatley for his role in the team's success, Christian Horner adds: "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."  #F1

https://x.com/chrism...2228481211?s=61

[Joseki]

Red Bull is living that 2019-2021 Mercedes brain drain experience.

 

The final nail in the coffin will be Verstappen jumping to Mercedes for 2025 or 2026.

[Bendo]

Seems like a mass exodus.

[Yoshi]

There were already some rumors about Jon leaving earlier this year for an potential TP role.
All the best for him.
Good signing for Audi and a big loss for Red Bull.

Edited by Yoshi, 01 August 2024 - 12:19.

[Ellios]

Jonathan Wheatley is very experienced in F1, you'd expect him to significantly influence Audi when he arrives, a great start for them. 

[Francesc]

Everyone jumping ship because they can't stand Horner anymore after the scandal.

[DevilDare]

Red Bull determined to allow Horner to sink that ship.

[sterlingfan2000]

Or they know Ford RBR Engine will be ultra bad

[MoP]

So what exactly is Binottos toke then? 

[F12020]

Francesc, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:18, said:

Everyone jumping ship because they can't stand Horner anymore after the scandal.

 

sterlingfan2000, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:20, said:

Or they know Ford RBR Engine will be ultra bad

or both

[macjim]

Not suprising tbh, it's was rumored a few monthsback that he was looking at greener pastures.

 

None of the other "better" teams are alooing for a TPL, so Audi is a "good" option for him.

[Capeta]

Oh.

Now Audi is talking.

[Nathan]

MoP, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:22, said:

So what exactly is Binottos toke then? 

 

Aligning the engine and chassis sides, managing technical developments.

[jonklug]

Find it hard to believe that with 2 key personnel leaving, Verstappen doesn't have a clause that allows him to get out of his contract should he want to.

[KWSN - DSM]

Solid hire by Audi.

[KWSN - DSM]

I think too much is being made of Verstappen's presumed fragility and self-doubt at Red Bull.

[SenorSjon]

KWSN - DSM, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:35, said:

I think too much is being made of Verstappen's presumed fragility and self-doubt at Red Bull.

I think it is the other way around. Without Verstappen, what kind of results would RB have left the last 8 races? Perez is being retained for political and/or economic reasons.

Did he jump ship when Perez was retained and sporting reasons went into the bin?

Edited by SenorSjon, 01 August 2024 - 12:42.

[flingsofdeon]

Him and Binotto are serious appointments- fair play

[Marklar]

you know, I was pissed how Horner's affair seemed to just fade away like most of these things when rich famous men arw involved, but awesome to see that this prick likely karmad himself. i cannot imagine that this is all a coincidence at this point

[MortenF1]

Where are the boundaries between Binotto and Wheatley?

[tyker]

MortenF1, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:55, said:

Where are the boundaries between Binotto and Wheatley?

I would have thought TD and TP.

Edited by tyker, 01 August 2024 - 12:58.

[GiorgioF1]

Red Bull right now:

 

 

[milestone 11]

Another of Red Bull's great assets jumps ship. Well done Horner.

[cyclist]

Cerainly a better pick than Krack, who was talked about. A logical move for Wheatley and a great sign for Audi. I wonder how Max sees all these developments...

[jonklug]

GiorgioF1, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:58, said:

Red Bull right now:

 

 

 

*Horner

[Ncedi]

This is awesome for Audi, kind of wish they had put this in place to begin with. MB and JW are two very solid hires.

Hulkenberg will be relieved and I'm wishing RB never had that extension clause on Yuki's contract

[JRodrigues]

cyclist, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:04, said:

Cerainly a better pick than Krack, who was talked about. A logical move for Wheatley and a great sign for Audi. I wonder how Max sees all these developments...

 

What about how does Newey see this?

 

And why did we have Red Bull letting everybody know he was going to Audi? Audi hasn't announced anything yet.

[lewislorenzo]

Joseki, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:13, said:

Red Bull is living that 2019-2021 Mercedes brain drain experience.

The final nail in the coffin will be Verstappen jumping to Mercedes for 2025 or 2026.

Yeah very similar.

The empire is crumbling

[Nathan]

Who would have been RBR's third salary exempt manager? Obvious Christian and Adrian are two.  Are each teams exemptions made public?

[KWSN - DSM]

JRodrigues, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:08, said:

What about how does Newey see this?

 

And why did we have Red Bull letting everybody know he was going to Audi? Audi hasn't announced anything yet.

 

I am certain they have swung that one past Wheatly before saying anything, it is a cordial split with positive words spoken, possibly Wheatly actually working until end of year.

[William Hunt]

Nathan, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:17, said:

Who would have been RBR's third salary exempt manager? Obvious Christian and Adrian are two.  Are each teams exemptions made public?

Adrian Newey isn't allowed to be an exemption because he is not on their employee list since he is a subcontractor who gets paid via his company. Two years ago there was a lot of discussion about this between the FIA and Red Bull after Red Bull had put him down as one of their exemptions, making their braking of the 'budget cap' even bigger as was reported in public. It also wasn't made public how the FIA and Red Bull eventually sorted this problem, it's clear Red Bull cheated this way.

 

It's one of the reasons I most certainly wouldn't hire him if I was Ferrari, unless they're allowed to cheat like Red Bull did.

Edited by William Hunt, 01 August 2024 - 13:24.

[Joseki]

There is a bit of confusion on positions and roles in this thread

 

MoP, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:22, said:

So what exactly is Binottos toke then? 

 

 

MortenF1, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:55, said:

Where are the boundaries between Binotto and Wheatley?

 

 

tyker, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:57, said:

I would have thought TD and TP.

 

Binotto is currently CTO [corrected] and COO (not TD) and Weathely is TP.

 

 

cyclist, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:04, said:

Cerainly a better pick than Krack, who was talked about. A logical move for Wheatley and a great sign for Audi. I wonder how Max sees all these developments...

 

Krack was rumored to be hired as COO (currently filled ad interim by Binotto), not as TP. It's a different role still to be filled.

Edited by Joseki, 01 August 2024 - 13:26.

[KWSN - DSM]

William Hunt, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:21, said:

Adrian Newey isn't allowed to be an exemption because he is not on their employee list since he is a subcontractor who gets paid via his company. Two years ago there was a lot of discussion about this between the FIA and Red Bull after Red Bull had put him down as one of their exemptions, making their braking of the 'budget cap' even bigger as was reported in public.

 

It's one of the reasons I most certainly wouldn't hire him if I was Ferrari, unless they cheat like Red Bull did.

 

Cheat?

[renzmann]

I wonder what these greats leaving the team will have to say about Horner once their contracts at RBR have expired.

Run Max!

[Nathan]

William Hunt, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:21, said:

Adrian Newey isn't allowed to be an exemption because he is not on their employee list since he is a subcontractor who gets paid via his company. Two years ago there was a lot of discussion about this between the FIA and Red Bull after Red Bull had put him down as one of their exemptions, making their braking of the 'budget cap' even bigger as was reported in public.

 

I am gobsmacked such a simple stunt can be used as a get around.  That is one of the most obvious day 1 rules to write.

[onewingedangel]

Hannah Schmitz next target?

[JRodrigues]

Joseki, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:22, said:

There is a bit of confusion on positions and roles in this thread

 

 

 

 

 

 

Binotto is currently CEO and COO (not TD) and Weathely is TP.

 

 

 

Krack was rumored to be hired as COO (currently filled ad interim by Binotto), not as TP. It's a different role still to be filled.

 

 

Wrong. Binotto is CT(echnical)and CO(perational)O.

[Joseki]

JRodrigues, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:24, said:

Wrong. Binotto is CT(echnical)and CO(perational)O.

LOL you are right, funny enough I was the one correcting the OG thread on Binotto being CEO.

[lewislorenzo]

onewingedangel, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:23, said:

Hannah Schmitz next target?

Please join Ferrari!

[krapmeister]

onewingedangel, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:23, said:

Hannah Schmitz next target?

I hope Zak Brown is working his magic...

[Brackets]

SenorSjon, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:38, said:

Did he jump ship when Perez was retained and sporting reasons went into the bin?

 

I don't think people at his level can jump, let alone to another ship, that easily and that quickly after a particular happenstance not to their liking (in any industry, not just F1).

 

This desire to jump ship likely started way earlier. Probably around the time of some leaked snaps.

[William Hunt]

KWSN - DSM, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:22, said:

Cheat?

They went over the budget cap, remember?

And that's without including them actually get more over the budget cap because they had Newey down as an exemption when FIA rules didn't allow that because he wasn't (and still isn't) an employee but a subcontractor via his company in their book keeping.

 

Red Bull got punished so hard by the FIA for breaking the cap that... they won every race bar one last season... sure that was a fair punishment wasn't it?

 

Breaking the cap should have resulted in much much more severe punishment. They didn't really get punished. In the Red Bull bookkeeping their catering suddenly also got way more expensive, like they were eating caviar & lobster on golden plates every day. Or maybe they were eating valves and suspension parts.

Edited by William Hunt, 01 August 2024 - 13:31.

[KWSN - DSM]

William Hunt, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:28, said:

They went over the budget cap, remember?

And that's without including them actually get more over the budget cap because they had Newey down as an exemption when FIA rules didn't allow that because he wasn't (and still isn't) an employee but a subcontractor via his company in their book keeping.

 

Red Bull got punished so hard by the FIA for breaking the cap that... they won every race bar one last season... sure that was a fair punishment wasn't it?

 

They were over the cap and were punished, I took your post to mean they cheated with Newey as well.

[KWSN - DSM]

Too much doom and gloom thrown Red Bull's way, all teams add and lose managers, Williams announced 15 Senior Managers earlier this year, I am not sure who all of them were, they did come multiple teams.

 

Harman from Alpine

Moncade from Ferrari

Molina from Haas

[Dalton007]

Joseki, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:13, said:

Red Bull is living that 2019-2021 Mercedes brain drain experience.

 

The final nail in the coffin will be Verstappen jumping to Mercedes for 2025 or 2026.

 

Seems most likely now that Max will jump ship to Mercedes in that time frame. 

[MortenF1]

tyker, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:57, said:

I would have thought TD and TP.

Oh, so Binotto was appointed TD… I missed that.

[Yoshi]

Its getting interesting - Audi is not ready yet

Quote

@thomasmaheronf15
Audi declining to comment on Red Bull revealing Jonathan Wheatley is their new team boss. Doesn’t appear to have been a coordinated announcement… #F1

[MaxisOne]

MortenF1, on 01 Aug 2024 - 12:55, said:

Where are the boundaries between Binotto and Wheatley?

Wheatley reports to Binotto and Binotto reports to the Audi Board.  I'm thinking Wheatley is the day to day and Mattias is general direction a la Luca di Montezemolo was at Ferrari with a slightly more constrained remit. I presume they may or may not retain James Key but we will see who else they can shake free from either Red Bull's or Mercedes technical talent pool. The Technical Director will also report to Binotto who is the Chief Operational and Chief Technical Officer.

 

To me that's CEO without the title. I im speculating the board reserved some crucial decision making responsibilities (Financial, Disciplinary) for themselves which is why he is not the full on CEO.

Edited by MaxisOne, 01 August 2024 - 14:25.

[William Hunt]

KWSN - DSM, on 01 Aug 2024 - 13:30, said:

They were over the cap and were punished, I took your post to mean they cheated with Newey as well.

That is exactly what I was saying. That they cheated with Newey too. And no they never really got punished, that was a farce: they won all races bar 1 the next year, sure they got punished heavily

[SenorSjon]

Yoshi, on 01 Aug 2024 - 14:13, said:

Its getting interesting - Audi is not ready yet

Usually this means RB wasn't prepared for his leave and stole Audi's thunder with the announcement. Wasn't something similar happening with Lewis' announcement?