Jonathan Wheatley, a British motorsport executive and mechanic, currently serves as the team principal of the Kick Sauber F1 team for the 2025 season. He officially took up the role of team principal in April 2025, replacing Alessandro Alunni Bravi. His first F1 debut as a team principal was at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.
Wheatley joined the team as part of a major redevelopment ahead of Audi’s entry into Formula 1 in 2026. Wheatley worked as a sporting director for Red Bull Racing in 2005 and as a chief mechanic for the Benetton F1 Team in 1995. He will serve as the sole proprietor of Audi’s mega F1 project for the 2026 season.
Kick Sauber F1 Team Engineer
For the 2025 F1 season, the lead engineer for the Kick Sauber F1 team has not been specified, according to the official F1 website. However, James Key was appointed as the technical director, or chief director, for the team in 2025. The technical management is headed by chief operating officer Mattia Binotto.
Gabriel Bortoleto is a rookie F1 driver who joined the Sauber F1 team in 2025. Jose Manuel Lopez, who worked for the McLaren F1 team, is now Bortoleto's team principal. Steven Petrik has been appointed as the current race engineer for Nico Hulkenberg. He spent eight years with Ferrari as a performance race engineer and joined Sauber in 2024.
Kick Sauber F1 Technical Director
James Key currently serves as the F1 technical director for the Kick Sauber F1 team. He was born on January 14, 1972, in Chelmsford, Essex, England. He is 53 years old as of May 2025. Key pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham. He was sponsored for his degree by Lotus Engineering in 1996.
Kick Sauber F1 Mechanics
Sauber F1 mechanics form a skilled group of engineers responsible for assembling, maintaining, and repairing the F1 cars at both the factory and the track.
Kick Sauber F1 Technical Staff 2025
The Kick Sauber F1 technical staff for the 2025 F1 season includes:
Team Principal: Jonathan Wheatley
Chief Operating Officer & CTO: Mattia Binotto
Team’s Chairman: Gernot Dollner
Technical Director: James Key
Director of Signature Program & Operations: Beat Zehnder
FAQs On Kick Sauber F1 Team Principal 2025
A. Jonathan Wheatley is the team principal of Kick Sauber F1.
A. Audi and Qatar Investement Authority owns Kick Sauber F1 team.
A. Kick Sauber will become the Audi F1 team from 2026 onwards.
A. Peter Sauber founded Kick Sauber F1 team in 1970.
