Porsche Could Enter Formula 1 In 2021

Porsche is seriously thinking about entering Formula 1 as an engine supplier, according to reports that surfaced today.

Despite it feeling like yesterday that the company pulled out of the brilliant World Endurance Championship and signed up to the still-rather-boring Formula E, Porsche is looking towards the next major F1 engine regulations changes in 2021 – changes that are designed to simplify and cut costs.

Autosport spoke to senior Porsche figure Lutz Meschke at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, after the board member for finance met Ross Brawn and other F1 personnel. He told the magazine:

“F1 could be one of the right places. As you know Formula E is very important for us now, and F1 is always a good topic to think about. And I think we are in quite good discussions regarding the new engine.”

There is a tide of ill will in the F1 paddock directed against the current 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid powertrains (except maybe at Mercedes), with drivers, team bosses and engineers all resenting their complexity, cost and sound versus the normally-aspirated 2.4-litre V8s that Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull dominated the sport with prior to the switch to hybrids.

Any decision from Porsche to re-enter F1 would see it rejoin the sport for the first time since 1991 when it supplied engines to the slightly rubbish Footwork team and the car named the A11C. Their signatures would depend on a change to much simpler V6 turbocharged drivetrains that ditch the hybrid elements altogether.

There’s no chance, at least going by today’s plans, that Porsche will enter a factory team, with the only option on the table being as an engine supplier like Honda – although Porsche would be hoping to do a tiny bit better than the Japanese company has been able to over the last three seasons.

Liberty Media, which now controls Formula 1, is said to be very keen to bring Porsche into the fold, and with the German brand’s demands echoing those from most other corners of the field, it’s likely that we’ll see confirmation of Porsche’s entry shortly after the 2021 rules go public.