Red Bull say Jonathan Wheatley is to leave his role as sporting director to become Audi’s Formula 1 team principal.
The 57-year-old Briton has been at Red Bull for 18 years and will stay until the end of this season.
He will have a period of ‘gardening leave’ in 2025 before joining the German manufacturer at an unspecified future date.
Audi has taken over the Swiss-based Sauber team and will officially enter F1 with its own car and engine in 2026.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Wheatley’s “contribution to six world constructors’ titles and seven world drivers’ championships, first as team manager and latterly sporting director, will forever be a marker in our team history”.
Wheatley was not quoted in the Red Bull statement, which said that a new structure would be announced at a later date.
Red Bull’s announcment appeared to catch Audi by surprise. An Audi spokesperson was not immediately able to confirm the move. Wheatley was unavailable.
News of Wheatley’s move comes a week after Audi named former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto as chief operating and technical officer, replacing Andrea Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann.
Audi’s move for Wheatley marks an opportunity for career progression, which he has said he has wanted for some time.
He is the second major figure to leave Red Bull this season, following the decision of chief technical officer Adrian Newey to quit.
Newey, who negotiated an early exit, is free to work for another team from March next year.