Porsche ends bid to join Formula 1

Porsche will not join the 2026 Formula 1 grid as it (and no doubt many fans) had hoped. This decision will have no bearing on the manufacturer’s Formula E program, The Race reports. VW Group executive Herbert Diess originally confirmed last May that Porsche would return to Formula 1 alongside sister brand Audi, which is still on track to join the series for the first time. If Diess’s comments from last year hold true, it will likely be at least a decade before Porsche reconsiders the move.

While Audi has made visible progress toward its first entry in the series, Porsche fans watched with increasing uncertainty last fall as efforts to partner with Red Bull stalled and eventually collapsed. Unlike Audi, which committed to building its own powertrain tech and may remain satisfied with just a minority stake in the F1 Sauber team, Porsche was reportedly looking to purchase a significant — likely controlling — interest.

A new engine design is due for 2026, which would have given Porsche the chance to enter the series at the ground floor of a new powertrain era for F1 — an opportunity that usually only presents itself about once a decade. Earlier this month, Porsche Motorsports VP Fritz Enzinger suggested that the manufacturer would be more interested if the series committed to the use of e-fuels, which have become part of Porsche’s carbon-neutral commitment.

Reading between the lines, it appears Porsche will remain on the F1 sidelines for quite a while. Hey, at least we still get Audi.