Audi and Porsche want to get into Formula 1 – and the two manufacturers definitely want the pinnacle of motorsport. Now everything should be decided. Just what do the VW subsidiaries say about this?
Now it’s fixed! Or not yet? The entry of Audi and Porsche into Formula 1 is said to have been decided. The motorsport premier class will receive “two prominent newcomers” from 2026, according to the television stations RTL and ntv. A source was not named.
The two Volkswagen subsidiaries, whose plans have long been an open secret, rejected the report. “We do not comment on rumours,” said a spokesman for Audi of the German Press Agency on request. A Porsche spokesman said: “We welcome the Fia’s decisions on the future regulations of Formula 1 from 2026. Further details about Porsche’s possible entry into Formula 1 will be announced in due course.”
After agonizing discussions, the Fia World Motor Sport Council only passed the future engine regulations on Tuesday. This was mentioned by the Volkswagen subsidiaries Audi and Porsche as a prerequisite for a possible entry into Formula 1.
Long debates about new regulations
The debates about the technical framework catalog had dragged on for so long because the established manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault wanted to prevent the technical competitive advantages they had developed over the years from disappearing and thereby reducing their investments. Specifically, it was about questions about the investment volume of possible newcomers up to 2026 and the time required on the test bench.
Among other things, the new regulations stipulate that the future hybrid engines will be operated with 100 percent sustainable fuel. The combustion engine in the unit should only contribute 50 percent of the power, the rest is electric. That fits with the future direction of the auto industry.
The new engine regulations should “enable newcomers and make them attractive to enter the sport at a competitive level,” said the world association’s statement.
Newcomers even have until October 15 to register with the Fia. But it shouldn’t take that long for Audi and Porsche. The first Grand Prix after the summer break in Spa-Francorchamps at the end of August is repeatedly mentioned as the announcement date.
Porsche is aiming for a partnership with Red Bull
Porsche, which intends to go public in the fourth quarter, is said to be entering into a partnership with Red Bull around world champion Max Verstappen. The Stuttgart-based company also wants to have the word creation “F1nally” trademarked in Germany: “F1” is the abbreviation for Formula 1, “finally” means “finally”.
Audi is linked with the takeover of Alfa Romeo, the former Sauber team. Both Audi and Porsche are already developing their own Formula 1 engines.
In any case, the bosses of the subsidiaries are hot for the fastest roundabout in the world. “We see Formula 1 as a technology platform that familiarizes people all over the world with Audi,” Audi boss Markus Duesmann told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” in an interview.
Porsche boss and designated Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is convinced of the growing success of motorsport’s premier class. “Last year, over 1.5 billion television viewers watched Formula 1,” he said. In the digital channels, the racing series is “the sport that is gaining the most interest”. F1nally also with Audi and Porsche?
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
