The negotiations between the Volkswagen-Daughter Porsche and Red Bull failed. There will be no entry of the German sports car manufacturer into Formula 1, at least with the current industry leader for the 2026 season. “Both companies have come to the joint conclusion that these talks will not be continued,” said Porsche on Friday. “The premise was always a partnership at eye level, which includes not only an engine partnership but also the team. This could not be realized.”
Porsche would have had a say in the dream marriage with Red Bull and not simply wanted to supply the engines. It was about taking over 50 percent of the racing team for an allegedly handsome 500 million euros. In the end, however, team boss Christian Horner was apparently not willing to give up power and have to coordinate strategic decisions with an equal partner.
“Red Bull has always been an independent team, that was one of our strengths,” Horner said recently on the sidelines of the Dutch Grand Prix: “Our ability to make quick decisions is part of our DNA. We are not a company-managed organization, and that remains an absolute one prerequisite for the future.” Potential partners would have to “decide whether they want to participate”, but on the terms of the Red Bull team. In the meantime, Red Bull is no longer dependent on a Porsche engine, since its own drive development is being set up.
However, entry into the premier class is not off the table for Porsche. “With the decided ones changes to the regulations the racing series remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be observed,” it said. Especially against the background of the upcoming Porsche IPO seems the billionaire circus Formula 1, it’s booming like never before
, to be quite tempting.
Volkswagen’s double attack on Formula 1
In mid-August, the FIA, the world automobile association, presented a new set of rules for Formula 1 engines. As a result, the engines should be cheaper, more relevant for series production and more sustainable from the 2026 season. The new set of rules also makes the electric motor more relevant, for the first time it delivers the same power as the combustion engine. In addition, the pilots must drive with 100 percent sustainable fuel.
For Porsche and its sister company Audi, which also wants to get involved in the racing series, the new rules were a prerequisite for entry into Formula 1. Because this is the only way for the two newcomers to catch up with the established players.
In March, Porsche announced that it would consider taking part in Formula 1. In April, the Volkswagen Group announced that its two subsidiaries, Porsche and Audi, exploring the entry into the racing circuit. Internally, this double attack was controversial for a long time. The then CEO Herbert Diess (63) was convinced that Formula 1 could “get more money out of Stuttgart and Ingolstadt” than without.