Audi F1 have confirmed to PlanetF1.com that Sauber stalwart Beat Zehnder is moving to the role of director of signature programs and operations.

It comes as new team principal Jonathan Wheatley officially starts work at the existing Sauber team on Tuesday (April 1).

Jonathan Wheatley starts work as Audi F1 team principal after Red Bull success

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Wheatley landed his first F1 management role last summer when he was appointed Audi F1 team principal ahead of the German manufacturer’s highly anticipated F1 2026 entry.

The 57-year-old, who has played an instrumental role in Red Bull’s success with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen over the last two decades, was originally not expected to link up with his new employers until this summer.

However, it emerged over the winter that Sauber had struck an arrangement with Red Bull to allow the former sporting director to take up his new role from the start of April.

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Wheatley is set to take charge of Sauber, currently eighth in the Constructors’ standings with six points from the first two races of F1 2025, for the first time at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Various reports over recent days had indicated that Wheatley’s arrival would signal the end of Zehnder’s involvement with the Sauber team, having been an ever-present member of the Hinwil-based outfit since their debut season in 1993.

However, Sauber have confirmed to PlanetF1.com that Zehnder is not going anywhere as he transitions as planned to the role of director of signature programs and operations.

The position will see the 59-year-old take care of Sauber’s growing heritage program and supervise as the team morph into Audi F1 from the start of next season, with his trackside activities set to be reduced.

Zehnder, who has reportedly suffered from ill health over recent years, recently gave his backing to Wheatley.

He told Swiss-German publication Blick: “We can all be happy that Wheatley is coming.

“I’ve been travelling for Sauber for 37 years now. After 571 races, I will no longer be at the helm, but I will certainly still be fulfilling tasks in the background.”

Wheatley will work under former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, who was appointed to the dual role of chief operating and technical officer of Sauber Motorsport last summer.

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