The impact of Audi's shock Red Bull signing
- Posted by hudson on Aug 02, 2024
Audi has poached a key member of Red Bull's F1 empire to be its new team principal - a move that has a big impact on both teams.
Recruiting Red Bull's long-serving sporting director Jonathan Wheatley to head up the day-to-day running of Audi's F1 team is a significant opening gambit from Mattia Binotto, the ex-Ferrari man only recently appointed by Audi to run the Sauber side of the show. Especially as Wheatley was announced on Binotto's first official day in his new job - something we don't think is a coincidence.
Wheatley does not have a huge profile outside the F1 paddock, even though he will be known to committed fans and maybe to a slightly broader audience for his infamous role in the controversial Abu Dhabi 2021 title decider exchanging radio messages with then-race director Michael Masi.
But Binotto will be very familiar with Wheatley and what he offers from their pasts as rivals.
00:00 Introduction
02:18 Targeting a clear weakness
06:00 Another blow to Red Bull
07:51 Audi