Jonathan Wheatley, the Sauber team principal, has expressed his delight with his move to Switzerland, describing it as “one of the biggest surprises of the job.” He resides in Zug, a picturesque town nestled in the foothills of the Alps, not far from Zurich. He and his wife frequently remark on how their life there feels less like a holiday and more like their permanent home.
Wheatley’s enthusiasm for the Swiss lifestyle is echoed by many who relocate there. However, this perspective often clashes with the prevailing narrative within Formula 1, where Sauber has long been perceived as being at a disadvantage due to its remote location. Along with Ferrari and Racing Bulls, Sauber is one of only three teams with headquarters outside the United Kingdom.
While some might dismiss this view as narrow-minded, it holds a certain degree of logic. The concentration of F1 teams within the “Motorsport Valley” – an area spanning Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Northamptonshire – facilitates easy movement of personnel between teams, even across different racing categories, without requiring relocation. In contrast, Hinwil (Sauber’s base), Maranello, and Faenza necessitate a more significant commitment.
This geographical challenge has prompted Racing Bulls to establish a satellite technical office near Red Bull’s Milton Keynes campus. Sauber has similarly opened a facility at Bicester Motion. While these moves allow the teams to tap into the talent pool of Motorsport Valley, they can potentially compromise team spirit and cohesion.
Wheatley, reflecting on his decision to join the Audi F1 project, admits he was primarily focused on the racing and the team’s potential, without fully considering the implications of living in Switzerland. He now considers it a “pleasant surprise.”
Lessons from History: The Toyota F1 Experience
For some potential recruits, relocating to a new country can be a significant hurdle. Another concern is the historical tendency of large car manufacturers to struggle when managing F1 teams due to bureaucratic corporate structures. The Toyota F1 team serves as a cautionary tale, epitomising the challenges posed by both geographical distance and corporate management.
Toyota holds the dubious record of being the biggest spender in F1 without achieving a single victory during its eight seasons. Many who worked at its Cologne headquarters reported that senior management spent more time managing the expectations of the parent company and justifying underperformance than on improving the car’s performance.
The corporate world often sees management layers expand, with so-called leaders focusing on superficial aspects while neglecting core responsibilities. Furthermore, remote outposts of large corporations can become breeding grounds for internal conflicts and power struggles. This appeared to be the case at Sauber under the previous leadership.
Audi’s Restructuring and New Leadership
In early 2023, Audi appointed Andreas Seidl as CEO, but later brought in Oliver Hoffmann from his role as chief technical officer at the car company into a less defined role within the F1 team. Against a backdrop of poor on-track performance, reports of internal tension emerged.
By July 2024, both Seidl and Hoffmann were replaced by Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari team principal, who assumed the dual role of chief operating officer and chief technical officer. Wheatley was appointed team principal, joining after a period of gardening leave.
These changes were driven by Audi CEO Gernot Doellner, who had reportedly been dissatisfied with the pace of technical progress in the road car division. Hoffmann’s transfer to Sauber coincided with Audi’s decision to fully acquire the team, rather than just taking a 75% stake.
This situation highlighted the potential pitfalls of a car company’s involvement in F1: a senior executive is removed from the main board, given a nominal role in the F1 operation, and attempts to exert influence, leading to further management changes.
Doellner, appearing alongside Binotto at the Italian Grand Prix, stated that it was crucial to “keep this project away from corporate processes,” a statement met with scepticism by many.
The key question was whether Binotto and Wheatley would be given the autonomy to do their jobs, or whether further changes would be made if the team’s performance did not improve. Despite Sauber’s slow start to the season, no such drastic measures were taken, and the team’s results have gradually improved.
Wheatley’s Experience and Audi’s Support
Wheatley’s background at Benetton/Renault and Red Bull, organisations that successfully balanced independence with corporate oversight, has equipped him with the skills to navigate this complex environment.
“Of course, there are methodologies that you have to take on board,” he acknowledges. “They [Audi] are getting to know us. We’re getting to understand them.”
He emphasises that Doellner has described the F1 team as a “speedboat,” operating with autonomy in its area of expertise, with the full support of the board. This approach, he says, is “fantastic.”
Wheatley also credits Doellner’s “inspirational approach” for convincing him to join the project. He believes that Audi understands the unique demands of Formula 1 and recognises that corporate philosophies cannot be applied wholesale.
“These are very, very clever people. They know exactly that this is an area which you can’t apply all of the same philosophies that you do in the group,” he says.
However, he stresses the importance of representing the brand appropriately and ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
Building a Winning Team: The McLaren Model and Internal Talent Development
Andrea Stella at McLaren has demonstrated that it’s possible to transform an existing team into a competitive force by utilising existing staff more effectively, rather than relying solely on high-profile signings.
While McLaren has recruited talent from other teams, such as Rob Marshall from Red Bull, the focus has been on individuals who can facilitate collaboration between departments, rather than imposing their own vision. The situation with David Sanchez, who left after his expected senior role didn’t materialise, illustrates the importance of structural alignment.
Aston Martin’s experience, having already hired and fired a senior technical figure, Dan Fallows, without significant improvement in results, highlights the challenges of building a successful team.
Wheatley believes that importing big names can send the wrong message to existing staff, implying dissatisfaction and undervaluing their contributions.
“It has to be a balance,” he says. “There are some areas where you need to make some really quick steps, and maybe they need some new leadership. There’s not been so many of those so far that I’ve been here.”
He stresses the importance of identifying and nurturing future stars within the organisation. “Because I’m not really sure what culture you’re creating if you just go outside all the time.”
Wheatley’s vision is to build a “proper works Formula 1 team” with strength and depth in every area, by recruiting young talent, training them, and instilling in them the ethos of the Audi F1 team.
“We need to create our own talent, and we’re well on the way with that. Mattia has got some very interesting young engineering programmes underway, and I can really feel in the business that it’s turning a corner,” he concludes.
Sauber’s improved performance in recent races suggests that the team is indeed heading in the right direction.