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Automotive giants Audi and Porsche are set to enter F1 in 2026, sources confirm. Audi is set to work with McLaren while Porsche will partner with Red Bull.
As per CAR magazine, the two giants of the automotive industry, Porsche and Audi, will join the sport in 2026. With negotiations between top lawyers already having commenced, fans can expect to see the two German marques in the sport at the dawn of the new engine era. The magazine claims the plan, for now, is for Audi to pair up with McLaren, supply engines and maybe even additional components. Porsche is rumored to be doing the same with Red Bull and their junior team, Alpha Tauri.
With Honda's involvement in the sport continuing until 2025, Red Bull will likely be looking at other potential engine and powertrain suppliers to continue staying relevant. It is still unclear whether either of these companies will join the sport as constructors or purely as engine suppliers.
Managing Director of Motorsports for the F1 group Ross Brawn claims the upcoming push for sustainable racing is a key factor in garnering the interest of Porsche and Audi. He said:
“In 2026 at the latest — and maybe even earlier — you will have to race with a sustainable fuel, in other words, a net carbon zero fuel. So, the way that fuel is made, is produced, has to be net carbon zero. And this will be a plug-in fuel that you would be able to put into a road car, so it’s another weapon in the fight against the environmental challenge. But that’s actually why we’re seeing manufacturers take a much stronger interest in the sport because they can see the value of that involvement, and it’s no secret to say Volkswagen with Porsche and Audi are having a very close look at F1 and that’s one of the reasons why they’re interested.”
At the time of writing, there is still no official confirmation from either party. Fans, however, can be assured that the new era of F1 beginning in 2026 will be unlike any other — with a much-needed push being made towards sustainable racing.
Ferrari reportedly bridged 20 hp gap to Mercedes despite new F1 fuel regulations
The 2022 season will see the introduction of the E10 fuel — a mixture of 90% fossil fuel with 10% ethanol. There is a performance loss of 20 horsepower expected due to the new fuel being developed by Shell, but reports claim Ferrari have already bridged the gap.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said there was still a gap in power to the Mercedes power unit, but that gap was decreasing due to work being done in Maranello. He said:
“I think, if we look at today compared to last year, a lot of progress has been made. There is a gap to the best, but the gap is reducing. So again, on the power unit, we know that from 2022 onwards, it will be frozen. That’s why I think we push so hard because it’s critical in terms of overall performance for the future to have a power unit on which we may count and having solid foundations on that.”
Only time will tell if these improvements made at the factory will result in real life success for the Prancing Horse. Meanwhile, its drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are eager to test the claims made by the engineers.
