Porsche and Audi Might Join Existing Formula 1 Teams By 2026
The primary German competitors of Mercedes-Benz, the Volkswagen Group's Porsche and Audi, have been watching from the sidelines, perhaps waiting for the right time to make their move into the sport while Mercedes-Benz has been a dominant force in Formula 1 racing for years. That day might arrive in the next several years, according to rumors that the board of VW has approved plans by Porsche and Audi to collaborate with Red Bull Racing and McLaren, respectively.
Since the firm has been secretly trying to invest in McLaren, which would include the present McLaren Racing F1 team, there have long been rumors that at least Audi will get involved in Formula 1 in the future. After apparently considering entering Formula One, VW Chief Executive Herbert Diess reportedly told Reuters that the corporate board had "ran out of justifications." Diess also asserted that Porsche was more prepared than Audi to compete in Formula 1, which can be seen as a lack of faith in Audi's quest to purchase McLaren.
Audi reportedly increased its offer to McLaren from a prior proposal of 450 million euros that was turned down to 650 million euros ($718 million), according to reports from Germany's Automobilwoche and Bloomberg earlier in April. The F1 racing team that presently features drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo will be acquired by Audi if the agreement is approved.
Porsche's route to F1, which is rumored to be more certain than Audi's, allegedly include talks with Red Bull Racing, of which the sole information provided was that it would be a "long-term" agreement. It's expected that Porsche would provide the powerplant, perhaps taking the place of the Honda-based engine Red Bull presently uses in competition. A new agreement's potential effects on Red Bull Racing's partner AlphaTauri are likewise unknown. Porsche has had prior involvement in Formula One in the 1960s, 1980s, and again in the 1990s. At one point, Porsche even provided engines for McLaren.
If Diess truly has persuaded VW's board to allow Porsche (and maybe Audi) to compete in Formula One, such a decision most likely won't be made until about 2026. That would provide the businesses time to get ready. That would give the businesses time to get ready for the new regulations for sustainable-fuel engines that the Formula 1 grid will implement that year.
According to a July report from Motorsport Total, paperwork submitted to Moroccan antitrust regulators almost confirms Porsche's ambitions to form a joint venture with Red Bull Racing in Formula One and buy a 50% interest in the company's racing endeavors. According to the source, the announcement of the arrangement was initially scheduled to take place at the Austrian Grand Prix but was postponed due to FIA delays in approving F1's engine regulations for 2026.
In a statement issued to ESPN on the potential agreement, Red Bull said that the two firms "remain engaged in productive discussions" and expressed their anticipation for the "satisfactory finalization of the FIA's varied sporting, financial, and technological standards for 2026." Now, it's believed that the new rules will be accepted in August when the Porsche-Red Bull partnership will officially be revealed.