Porsche slams the door on Formula 1
According to our colleagues at The Race, Porsche will not join Formula 1 in 2026, for the new engine regulations. The German brand is therefore closing the door on the discipline despite attempts with certain teams to join the premier category.
It’s a no. Porsche will not be joining Formula 1 in 2026. The German brand has put an end to the suspense after long months of negotiations with certain teams. Initially, Porsche was supposed to join F1 in 2026 alongside its sister company Audi, who will indeed be entering the top category.
The negotiations seemed to be well underway with Red Bull last summer for an engine partnership. However, the discussions were ultimately aborted, with the Milton Keynes team deeming Porsche’s conditions too demanding. Red Bull then turned to Ford, who announced their partnership during the unveiling of their car in New York on February 3rd. Porsche, on the other hand, attempted discussions with McLaren, but to no avail.
Next attempt in ten years
Porsche says goodbye to its best opportunity to return to Formula 1 since 1991 and its partnership with Footwork. For the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, this is an opportunity that will not arise again for at least ten years: « It takes five or 10 years to be among the favorites. In other words, you can only get on board if there is a major change in regulations », he specifies. It is worth noting that the FIA had offered Porsche to join the grid as a new team in 2025, an offer that was not enticing due to excessively high infrastructure costs.
Upon arrival, the Volkswagen Group only achieves half of its goals in F1, thanks to Audi’s arrival in 2026, in partnership with the Sauber group. Meanwhile, Porsche prefers to turn to other projects such as Formula E or endurance racing.
