Breaking! Porsche will not join F1 in 2026

Porsche has decided not to join the F1 grid from the 2026 season despite the discussions of entering as a potential engine supplier as a part of the new regulations.

Over time, there had been rapid speculation of the Volkswagen Group-owned brand entering the Formula 1 grid when the new engine regulations will be introduced in 2026.

The brand had a deal going on with Red Bull and the stakes of a partnership between the two brands were seemingly positive. However, the deal collapsed later after the brand wanted to hold a major stake in the F1 team, or possibly control over them.

It is possible that Porsche will now focus on the racing programmes they are already present in, which also includes their return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. Since they will not be entering the sport now, it ruins the only chance they had of having their name involved with F1 since 1991.

Porsche was one of the newer engine suppliers that were thought to enter the sport, the other one being their sister brand, Audi. Though the latter has finalized a deal with the Sauber Group and will have their name on the grid with the new engine regulations, they might as well be the only one.

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Was 2026 the only opportunity Porsche had at entering F1?

The 2026 season will see new engine regulations introduced, as mentioned above. The complex Motor Generation Unit - Heat (MGU-H) technology, which is used to harvest thermal energy via the turbocharger from the exhaust, will no longer be used in the sport.

This means that newer engine manufacturers will have a pretty good shot at being competitive with the already-existing engines in the sport.

Porsche had a similar thinking, as their then CEO Herber Diess mentioned that it was the last time to join the grid for perhaps another decade. He said:

"You need five or 10 years to be among the front runners. In other words, you can only get on board if you have a major rule change. That means you can decide now to do Formula 1 – or then probably not again for 10 years."

While Porsche is stepping out from the sport, Audi already owns a minority of stake in the Sauber Group in Formula 1. While they will be set to have a new engine supplier in 2026, Porsche will be focusing on other motorsport series to enhance their success.

Meanwhile, Red Bull already has a deal revoked with Honda and the two will be working in a 'technological relationship' till the 2026 season, and henceforth, Ford will take Honda's role with the team. Ford's F1 entry was revealed earlier this year during the RB-19 launch.