Stake F1 Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley cut a confident and composed figure after Friday’s free practice sessions at the 2025 Austrian GP. With the team coming off two consecutive points finishes at wildly contrasting circuits, Wheatley spoke candidly about the upward trajectory of the Hinwil-based outfit; and the momentum gathering around it.
Team cohesion and development gains
Asked what pleased him most about the recent strong showings, Wheatley gave credit to a broad collective effort, paying tribute to the foundation laid by his predecessor.
“I think it’s a total team performance,” he said. “What’s encouraging is that the work that Mattia [Binotto] started nearly a year ago now is starting to bear fruit. The tools are starting to correlate with each other. The pieces we’re putting on the car so far seem to have been going in the right direction.”
The C45 chassis has become a far more familiar and manageable tool for the team throughout the season.
“The drivers have more confidence. We understand C45 better than we did five, ten races ago. And there’s a momentum building in the team, and it’s a great energy.”
Friday practice upgrades and cautious optimism
Sauber brought new aero components to Spielberg, including revised floor edges and a modified rear wing. Wheatley was understandably cautious about concluding so early in the weekend.
“It is a little too soon to say. We need to look at the data, we need to analyse it,” he explained. “It was an interesting session in terms of the way the temperature changed throughout… So, you know, the long runs were carried out. I don’t think it will be like that on Sunday,” Wheatley said during the Austrian GP press conference.
Still, early impressions were encouraging:
“Certainly at the moment, the feeling’s positive.”
Driver dynamics: Hülkenberg’s steady hand, Bortoleto’s growth
Wheatley was full of praise for veteran Nico Hülkenberg, whose consistency and experience have been key to Sauber’s recent run of form.
“Professionalism, the way he approaches a Grand Prix weekend, he’s measured. He’s the whole package as far as I can see. He’s clearly enjoying the upgrades on the car. He’s enjoying his time at Sauber at the moment, and he’s delivering.“
The performance in Canada, a circuit where Sauber hadn’t expected to be competitive, stood out in particular:
“Canada wasn’t a circuit that we expected to perform that well on, yet we were able to deliver with both drivers a really solid performance and, as you said, points two races in a row.”
As for young talent Gabriel Bortoleto, who continues to build form and confidence, Wheatley highlighted a trajectory of steady improvement.
“Gabi is so close. The confidence is building. Today, again, another really clean performance, really good feedback through the engineers through P1. He’s learning, developing. Really, really pleased with his progress.”
2026 regulations and energy management debate
Wheatley echoed Toto Wolff’s sentiments about the importance of spectacle and competitive integrity as the sport prepares for another major regulatory overhaul in 2026.
“It’s important we put on a show. I think all of these concerns were raised at the start of this set of technical regulations, and the energy management was a big story back then as well. But then look where we are now with the closest championship in the history of the sport.”
He emphasised the importance of staying focused on long-term goals, even in the face of initial doubts about drivability or entertainment value.
“So, we have to look at the journey through this new set of technical regulations, and we have to make sure that at all times, we’ve got the best interests of the sport at heart.”
Continued development despite midfield standing
Despite sitting outside the top five in the Constructors’ Championship, Sauber remains committed to pushing updates—a stance Wheatley defended with determination.
“I think there’s everything to play for. This championship isn’t over. We haven’t given up on it. We’re not here to mess around and just make up the numbers.”
Importantly, he clarified that the ongoing development has not compromised the 2026 project:
“We’re ambitious, and we’ve got targets we want to hit. We don’t feel at the moment it’s making any impact – well, Mattia tells me it’s not making any impact – on our 2026 car. Mattia and the team back at the factory, there’s an energy about the progressive development of the car and going in the right steps. I’m not saying it’s going to keep going until Abu Dhabi, but at the moment, it’s encouraging.”
On Red Bull’s protest rights
When asked to reflect on the recent Red Bull protest—a flashpoint in paddock discussions—Wheatley leaned on his experience as a former Red Bull Sporting Director to underline the importance of procedural transparency in F1.
“I think I’m just looking at the situation. I’m not looking at the teams involved. I know that teams agonise over protests, but it’s so important that teams have a right to do that. I think if you take away that right or make it too prohibitive, you’ll end up with more problems. I like the transparency. I like the conversation that’s going on around it at the moment. I know people are talking about the amount of the fine and the amount of the protest fee and what have you. But in Formula 1, that would have to be quite significant. I think it’s a healthy conversation going on about it at the moment.”
And on Sebastian Vettel potentially taking an advisory role at Red Bull in the future?
“Well, I think first of all trying to replace Helmut is quite a challenge in itself. I can’t quite imagine how any one individual could do that. I haven’t seen Sebastian for a while. He’s a seriously impressive person, as you all know. I believe the conversations have been confirmed between the two parties, but whether that comes to anything, I don’t know. But I’m hoping I see Helmut in that role for a much, much longer period of time.”
With cautious optimism and a clear focus on the long game, Wheatley’s leadership is already making its mark at Sauber. A mix of experienced guidance, promising youth, and incremental technical progress is giving the Swiss team a sense of purpose it has lacked in recent seasons. Wheatley perhaps hopes for a chance to surprise yet again in this unpredictable 2025 campaign at the Austrian GP.
