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Porsche and Audi's F1 entry was recently confirmed by Herbert Diess, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group. On Monday, Diess claimed the two marquee brands have decided, with VW’s support, to enter the sport. The Austrian said that F1's emphasis on sustainability, growth in the United States and Asia, and increasing popularity among younger viewers were the reasons why it is so appealing to enter now.
Speculations have been rife over the past few months about VW's decision to enter F1 but Herbert Diess' comments do make it certain that the VW group was turning its attention to the sport. For the official announcement, we might have to wait until July at the Austrian GP because that would be the home race of Red Bull, one of the possible partnerships that will be in play for Porsche.
How does Porsche plan to enter F1?
Porsche's current presence is expected to be a collaboration with Red Bull Powertrains in 2026.
This, however, will not be the first venture into F1 for Porsche. Most recently, it participated in the sport in the capacity of an engine manufacturer in its disastrous campaign in 1991 with Arrows. Even before that, Porsche had a successful partnership with McLaren as well as an engine supplier as McLaren-TAG Porsche in 1980s.
How does Audi plan to enter F1?
For Audi, this will be the very first occasion where the brand will be competing in Formula 1 in any form. The picture is still unclear for Audi, because, unlike Porsche, it is looking for a full-fledged operation that would not only include the power unit but the chassis as well.
Audi was in talks with McLaren to turn that into a works team but the deal didn't go through. This has left Audi with no other option but to pursue teams like Aston Martin, Williams, or Alfa Romeo.
At the moment, Aston Martin is the team that appears to be willing to allow the takeover. The induction of a massive brand in the form of Audi and Porsche is just an example of the improved health of the sport that has seen growth in its revenue and reach in the last few years.
Will we see other giants like BMW, Honda, or even Toyota make a return? It all depends on how the VW group fares because the rest of the world will be keeping a close eye.
