Legendary manufacturers of the endurance circuit, Audi and Porsche could upset the world of Formula 1 from 2026, after the announcement on Thursday of the Volkswagen group, which owns the brands.
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Will there be two more German manufacturers in the paddock? The Volkswagen group declared itself in favor, Thursday, April 7, of the project of its subsidiaries Porsche and Audi to join Formula 1 from 2026. “Volkswagen’s management and supervisory board as well as Porsche and Audi have approved plans for the brands’ possible entry into Formula 1”told AFP a spokesperson for the German manufacturer. One condition prevails, however: the championship must succeed in its ecological transformation beforehand.
“We thus have in principle the possibility of joining as early as 2026” the championship, an Audi spokeswoman added. “No decision has been made yet, we are in the final phase of the study”, she specifies. Several Formula 1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull), welcomed the news on Friday. “very exciting”. The reigning world champion said to himself “can’t wait to see what the future will bring to the teams” of F1.
I think it’s really great to have new manufacturers in the sport, especially when you see that there are a lot of teams that have the potential to be great teams.
Lewis Hamiltonat a press conference in Melbourne
A story that resonates in the same way on the side of the stable bosses: “It’s great news that two brands like these are considering entering Formula 1.”, welcomed Christian Horner, boss of Red Bull, to the press. For his part, the boss of Porsche, Oliver Blume, confirmed, at the end of March, the study of an entry into Formula 1, the press evoking “negotiations” with Red Bull. “A final decision has not yet been made”however, said a spokesperson for the brand.
Committed like the entire Volkswagen group to a vast electric shift, Audi and Porsche hope to take advantage of an entry into Formula 1 to display their technologies and ambitions “green”. Audi will only join the championship at “condition” that the regulation valid from 2026 “plans for vast changes for a more sustainable sport”explained the spokesperson on Thursday.