Porsche no longer interested in a Formula 1 comeback
Porsche has officially ruled out a return to Formula 1 after the failure of its partnership with Red Bull. Initially planned for the 2026 season, the German brand is now concentrating on its other motorsport programs, notably endurance racing and Formula E, where it is already enjoying great success.
The result of many months of speculations has finally come out. Porsche has officially announced that it will not return to Formula 1. Earlier this year, the company was in talks with Red Bull to build engines, but they eventually partnered with Ford. Since this failure, Porsche still had Formula 1 in sight. However, Formula 1 is now a thing of the past.
A partnership that has failed
About two years ago, Porsche and Red Bull started exploring the possibility of partnering for the 2026 Formula 1 season. This would have allowed the team to start developing its own engines with the arrival of new regulations. The partnership was supposed to be beneficial for both parties, with Porsche taking a 50% stake in the racing team and Red Bull no longer being penalized by waiting for engine upgrades.
However, despite advanced discussions, the agreement was not signed. Red Bull has since taken a different direction and will produce its own engines in collaboration with Ford. Porsche, which was supposed to make its comeback in F1, saw its hopes fall through, and even though the team seemed to continue its initiatives, it’s now over.
Porsche Motorsport’s vice president, Thomas Laudenbach, confirmed that the firm was not interested in returning to Formula 1. “It’s out of the question: for now, F1 is not a task for us and we are not dedicating any energy to it,” he explained to Autosport. “We are solely focused on what we are currently doing, and if you look closely, we have many different activities: we are very busy and extremely satisfied with what we are doing.”
Porsche has already found success in other disciplines.
Although Porsche’s Formula 1 ambitions have been set aside for the moment, the company remains committed to its other motorsport programs. It is indeed experiencing great success in this field and is at the forefront of numerous technological advancements. Particularly in terms of electrification, as it has a factory dedicated to its participation in Formula E. Its progress in this area has notably allowed it to win the Champions’ Medal several times. Like with former Formula 1 driver Pascal Wehrlein who just won the 2024 championship three weeks ago. Porsche’s customer team, Andretti, which operates engines from the German manufacturer, has also achieved success.
Thomas Laudenbach took advantage of his interview with Autosport to talk about his satisfaction with Porsche’s current activities in motorsport. « We are involved in customer racing, GT4, one-make series up to professional GT racing [in GT3],” he acknowledged. « In addition to that, we compete in the two most important endurance series [WEC and IMSA] with our partner Penske. The third aspect, since the electrification of our brand is very important, is our commitment to Formula E, which is the only fully electric high-level series. I think we are really well positioned,” he concluded.
For the moment, the team’s progress in other disciplines is Porsche’s priority. The company may show interest in Formula 1 again in the coming years, but it’s certain that they won’t be entering the championship in 2026.
