Yesterday at 09:15
Stake F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley has reflected on his
first months in his new role following his exit from Red Bull.
Wheatley was long part of the Red Bull F1 squad and played an
integral role in its championship-winning years with Sebastian
Vettel and Max Verstappen. The Briton rose to the position of
sporting director of the Milton Keynes-based squad before
announcing his exit from the team in August 2024. Wheatley took up
the role of Stake's team boss ahead of its transition to Audi in
2026 when new technical regulations will come into play. The
58-year-old began working trackside with the team at the Japanese
Grand Prix in April, which he detailed as commencing a hectic
period. "It was an unusual start to the season for me," Wheatley
exclusively told RacingNews365 . "I spent most of my life wearing
blue, the last 20 years wearing blue, and now I'm wearing black and
green. "I watched the first two races on my iPhone because I
couldn't quite get the technology to work in my new apartment in
Switzerland at the time. "Then I walked in the door in April to
this team, who I feel like I've had an association with since the
beginning. "I was there at the very first test of the Sauber F1
car. I have so many friends here in the team over the years. "It
felt odd, but oddly invigorating to walk into this new position. I
would say that the team have welcomed me incredibly warmly. The
reception has been brilliant. "It's been quite a journey, the first
five months, nearly six months now, not least of all because I do
every race, and I'm in the factory every day in between. "The
logistics associated with that first brutal batch of races, it was
quite a baptism of fire." Jonathan Wheatley reveals 'three major
career phone calls' After finishing last in the standings in 2024
with four points to its name, Stake has taken a step forward this
year with 55 points tallied up after 16 rounds. Its highlight of
the season came at the British Grand Prix, where Nico Hulkenberg
grabbed the first podium of his career. As a new era fast
approaches for the Sauber-run team, Wheatley reiterated his desire
to lift it even further up the pecking order. "I've described
myself before as largely unambitious on a personal level," he said.
"I've always been hugely ambitious for the team that I work with,
to make that team the strongest and the best team that it can be.
"My career has been a byproduct of that." Detailing his exit from
Red Bull, Wheatley stated the noise about an exit occurred early in
the year before his departure was announced during the summer
break. "Three major stages in my career, I've had a phone call that
changed my world and changed my outlook and changed the team that I
work for," he said. "I think around about Miami last year, there
was some news in the press that didn't come from me, that I was
looking for different roles in F1, and that's really what put the
energy behind the phone calls and the conversation subsequently
with other teams. "I find it quite surprising that somebody who
started as a mechanic in 1991 is now a team principal of a modern
F1 team. "But honestly, I'm loving the job. I'm loving the role.
This team feels like my team right the way through to the core
already."
