Audi Promotes Red Bull Veteran Stevenson to Key Team Manager Role
Audi-Sauber promotes Lee Stevenson, a key figure from Red Bull's dominant era, to Team Manager, injecting championship-winning experience into their operations ahead of their 2026 factory entry.
After nearly two decades at Red Bull, Lee Stevenson, a key figure in Max Verstappen's championship-winning teams, has been promoted to Team Manager at Audi-Sauber. His move from the garage floor to a strategic role underscores Audi's aggressive push to infuse their 2026 F1 project with proven winning DNA ahead of their full factory entry.
Why it matters:
Audi's ambition is to become a championship contender by 2030, and that requires more than just a powerful engine; it demands world-class race operations. By promoting Stevenson and pairing him with fellow Red Bull alumnus Jonathan Wheatley, Audi is importing a culture of operational excellence that has been the foundation of Red Bull's dominance.
The details:
- New Role: Stevenson, who initially joined Sauber in May 2024 as chief mechanic, will now lead the team's operational flow as Team Manager, overseeing all garage-based activities on race weekends.
- Championship Pedigree: His experience is invaluable, having been a central part of Red Bull's success through multiple title-winning seasons, providing a direct link to what a top-tier team looks and feels like.
- Leadership Core: He joins Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley, the former Red Bull Sporting Director, forming a leadership duo with extensive experience in managing high-pressure environments and extracting maximum performance.
- Project Progress: The promotion comes as Audi's 2026 power unit successfully completed its first fire-up in December, signaling that both the technical and operational sides of the project are advancing in parallel.
What's next:
Stevenson will immediately put his new role to the test.
- The team is conducting a shakedown of its 2025 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this Friday, giving Stevenson his first taste of race weekend operations in his expanded capacity.
- Fans will get their first official look at the Audi-branded livery during a launch event in Berlin on January 20, marking the public start of a new era for the Hinwil-based outfit.