FIA confirms F1 door is still open for Porsche return
Oct.21 - Formula 1 has left the door open to Porsche, despite a deadline for manufacturers to sign up for the new engine rules in 2026 having now passed.
We reported earlier this month that, following the collapse of the Red Bull-Porsche talks, the VW-owned German carmaker only had days to follow Audi into the sport before the FIA's October 15 deadline.
Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke said before the deadline expired: "Formula 1 remains an interesting racing series for us.
"We're looking to see if there are any other viable options," he told Sport1. But we are not allowing ourselves to be pressured into making a decision that we are not convinced of."
Indeed, we also clarified before the deadline expired that the FIA may have told Porsche that the deadline may have some flexibility built into it.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has now confirmed that.
"At Spa-Francorchamps in August, Audi announced it was joining the FIA Formula 1 World Championship from 2026 as a power unit manufacturer," he said in a statement after the World Motor Sport Council meeting this week.
"This announcement was an endorsement of the hard work by all stakeholders to develop those regulations. We also note that Porsche are still in discussions with Formula 1 teams."
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Deadline-Rules.. It seems they mean nothing to the Fia.! Expect some sarcasm and put downs from CH and the Doc, comparing theirs and the Porsche situation .
Fi teams Turning really nasty towards RB over cost cap, some saying they should lose their constructors winnings,, according to the Express.
Brit and Italian press, the roughest of em all regarding f1 heroes and villains, it doesn't surprise me, I see even the Dame is wading in and saying the W series should have been saved-hes on the bbc f1 page bangin on about diversity and females in the sport, but isn't prepared AGAIN to put his money where his gob is .
A Porsche / McLaren partnership worked well in the past. Although McLaren and Porsche management have both since changed, it could be a force to be reckoned with if they get together again! Depends on whether Porsche wants to race their own car or just build power units.
only slight issue I have with this scenario, is not that were porsche engines or even porsche tag branded engines then , its now I.E the road car branded Mcl cars , using what Mcl loosely call "their own engine" which as all know is a reworked/redeveloped version of an old Nissan engine Mcl bought the rights to, now if there is still a commercial link between the f1 division and the road cars, ive no problem porsche popping in their own engines into them, or is there's zero link then , zero conflict of commercial interests I suppose?
Maybe wishful thinking on my part.
I would love to see McLaren back at the top, or nearer the top, once again. Seeing the partnership with RB fell through, IMO Porsche will be looking for a capable top performing team, and McLaren are next best. Can't see Benz, Ferrari or Alpine using Porsche engines!
Unless Porsche decide to build their own cars ........