Audi and Porsche in Formula 1?

At least one of the two brands of the VW Group has been working on an appearance in the premier class of motorsport for years.

Sometimes the projects failed at the last hurdle within the Wolfsburg company.

She has been taken since late Thursday afternoon.

The supervisory board of VW gave both Audi and Porsche permission to implement their projects.

The specialist magazine "Auto Motor und Sport" (AMS) reported first.

If everything goes according to plan, Audi and Porsche will compete in different roles from the 2026 season onwards – preferably for the title right away.

If Formula 1 were listed on the stock exchange, shares would be rising now.

Shortly before the Australian Grand Prix this Sunday (7:00 a.m. CEST in the FAZ live ticker for Formula 1 and on Sky), the news from Germany fits in with the upswing in the series, which claims to be enjoying growing interest from sponsors and an increase in young viewers .

However, it was pushed by the management.

Audi and Porsche are only coming because the drive formula will change with the 2026 season, and above all it will be simplified.

The last vote is still missing.

That is why Audi reacted to the decision in Wolfsburg with the handbrake on: “Following the decision by the supervisory board, the company now has the fundamental possibility of entering Formula 1 in 2026,” according to a statement on Thursday evening from Ingolstadt, the headquarters of Audi.

A definite promise that what has long been planned will happen sounds different.

Orientation to desires

What is the background?

The drives with two electric motors and a combustion engine are very complicated.

Newcomers have to fear a long learning phase, combined with high development costs and the great risk of failure, because the established competition has a huge lead in terms of experience.

Because Formula 1 therefore found it difficult to persuade automobile manufacturers to get involved, it oriented itself towards the wishes of candidates with potential.

The Germans took part in the consultations for the new drive formula: the V6 turbo with a displacement of 1.6 liters remains.

But in the future, an electric machine, the so-called MGU-H, which extracts and stores energy from the exhaust gases, will no longer be involved.

Instead, the second, called MGU-K, will be allowed to deliver much more electrical power.

Planned are 350 kilowatts (476 hp) each from the combustion engine and the electric motor.

So it more or less stays with the 1000 hp bolide, if you include the performance development.

In addition, Formula 1 meets the desire to counteract its image as a squanderer of fossil fuels.

The new drive uses 100 percent CO2-neutral fuel.

The now effective budget cap allows serious calculations.

It is currently 140 million dollars (128.75 million euros) per year, albeit excluding driver salaries and the fees for the best engineers, among other things.

These latest moves give successful Formula 1 teams their first opportunity to turn a profit.

According to Ferrari and Mercedes, this was achieved thanks to solvent sponsors.

Other teams say they are on the right track.

According to ASM, there are indications that Honda is considering a return in 2026.