Jonathan Wheatley (born 7 May 1967) is a British Formula One mechanic and team manager. He is currently the sporting director at the Red Bull Racing Formula One team.[1]
Jonathan Wheatley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 May 1967 |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | British |
| Occupation | Sporting Director |
| Employer | Red Bull Racing |
Career
Wheatley began his motorsport career at Benetton as a junior mechanic in the early 1990s. He rose through the ranks at Enstone to become the chief mechanic from 2001 until 2006 when he left for Red Bull Racing.[2]
Red Bull Racing
Wheatley's role in the team is important and includes ensuring that the team is operating within the FIA sporting regulations, monitoring communications, and supervising Red Bull's pit crew, widely regarded to be among the best in Formula One.[3][better source needed]
Red Bull's pit crew broke the then world record for fastest Formula One pit stop during the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix timed at just 1.82 seconds, beating the previous time of 1.88 seconds set in the 2019 German Grand Prix also by Red Bull.[4][5][6] The record stood until the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix where it was beaten by McLaren with the time of 1.80 seconds.[7]
Wheatley tries to think through all possible scenarios, and how the team could react to them, before an event.[8]