Reports wonder if Red Bull team ’falling apart’

"Is the Red Bull team falling apart?" That’s how one publication summed up Thursday’s shock news that long-time team manager and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley is leaving the Formula 1 outfit.

In its announcement, Red Bull Racing even pre-empted the 57-year-old’s destination - to become the team principal "with the Audi F1 Project".

It clearly caught Audi-owned Sauber by surprise, as they initially would not confirm the news. "Normally, communication about such changes is always coordinated by both sides," Auto Motor und Sport explained.

"But nothing was heard from Audi until late afternoon."

The report at Sky Deutschland concurred: "It was a strange announcement, as Audi initially did not want to comment, but then gave a detailed confirmation late in the afternoon."

Veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit, however, was not surprised, quoting Red Bull boss Christian Horner in Blick newspaper as having said at Spa last Sunday: "I know that Jonathan wants to leave.

"He is an expensive man and I can employ a few engineers for his salary."

Given that Adrian Newey is also departing, Auto Motor und Sport wondered: "Is the Red Bull team falling apart?" Osterreich newspaper added: "Red Bull’s next guarantee of success leaves".

And Bianca Garloff wrote at Auto Bild: "Wheatley was considered a possible successor to Horner in the spring, at the height of the dispute surrounding the team boss."

Aston Martin’s Mike Krack had also been linked with the team boss role at Audi, with new appointment Mattia Binotto’s search for a day-to-day operational chief for the new project somewhat of an open paddock secret.

Wheatley is staying put for now, with Red Bull explaining that he will serve "a period of gardening leave" in 2025. Audi says Wheatley will take up his new role at Audi "at the latest from halfway in the 2025 season".

As for Red Bull, Horner said on Thursday that Wheatley will be replaced from within. "We will announce a new team structure in the coming weeks," he added.

Audi, meanwhile, may now have an impressive leadership duo with Binotto and Wheatley, but the project still seems to be struggling to secure a teammate for Nico Hulkenberg from 2025.

Benoit thinks the Hinwil-based outfit may simply retain Valtteri Bottas.

"Bottas and Hulkenberg both have birthdays in August, so their combined age next year will be 72. Is that supposed to be the future of the ambitious Germans?" Benoit wondered.