Porsche Seriously Considering F1 Return

Porsche has revealed that it is indeed seriously considering a return to F1. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume was part of the engine formula discussions with the FIA, Liberty Media, and the engine manufacturer group that includes Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, and Red Bull Powertrains. He was there alongside the CEO of Audi, the fellow Volkswagen group company. Post these discussions, it was revealed that F1 is dropping the MGU-H and developing an engine that will be powered by a combination of electric motors and batteries and an internal combustion engine that runs on fully sustainable biofuel. 

"The VW Group is looking at whether entry into Formula 1 would be attractive for us. But no decision has been made yet," said Oliver Blume recently. But now there is Thomas Laudenbach who is the newly minted VP of Motorsports at Porsche who has revealed that there is a very strong possibility of the iconic German brand entering the apex of Motorsport. 

"It's not a secret we are thinking about it [entering F1] and are talking to the FIA. We are seriously considering it but there is no decision yet. If we will be there or not I don't know," he said. 

Also Read: Toto Wolff Doesn't Want To Give VW Group A Free Pass

He also revealed that Porsche and the Volkswagen group are fairly satisfied with what's happening on the engine front in F1 with the new rules dictating a brand new formula for 2026. The contentious point has been the pricey MGH-U which is one of the reasons for the efficiency of the F1 V6 turbo hybrid engine but it cannot be transferred to road-legal cars which is an issue for manufacturers like Porsche and Audi who need a correlation between the technology developed in their motor sporting activities and them trickling down to their consumer products. 

Porsche has a massive LMP-1 programme 

"A lot of things are going in the right direction concerning F1. It is clear you cannot go forward with a battery-electric vehicle, we all know that. But there needs to be a much higher priority on the electric part of the powertrain. That is important because as an OEM if you want to show yourself in motorsport it has to be relevance to what you have on the road," he added. 

The budget cap which has been introduced in 2021 has also made F1 a more practical activity for the Volkswagen Group as its investment will be much lower to be competitive. Big manufacturers like Volkswagen also want to be fairly competitive from the get-go and don't want to be embarrassed the way Honda was with McLaren between 2015-2017 when their engine was woefully inadequate. 

It helps that F1 is now littered with ex-Volkswagen Group figures who know what the group needs for it to join F1. Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of F1, was the CEO of Lamborghini which is owned by Volkswagen. Similarly, Jost Capito, the CEO of Williams was the Rally chief at Volkswagen while McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl was the man who led Porsche's LeMans program. Even the current Renault group CEO Luca De Meo was the boss of Volkswagen Group company Seat. 

Porsche and Audi are rumoured to be partnering with Red Bull Powertrains towards the development of a new engine for the new formula. Porsche was last seen in F1 as an engine manufacturer in the mid-80s with its TAG branded engines. Porsche could also partner with McLaren with a co-developed engine with Red Bull Powertrains but would be Porsche branded on the McLaren. Williams has also hinted that it wants to break out of the shadow of Mercedes and has become almost a b-team which even hosted its junior driver George Russell who leaves at the end of the year to join the silver arrows.