Apparently, Porsche will not enter Formula 1 as quickly as hoped. Red Bull puts negotiations with the car manufacturer on hold, the top team wants to retain sole decision-making power. Motorsport consultant Helmut Marko has a very clear opinion.
The long-awaited entry of Porsche into Formula 1 now seems to be faltering. The planned cooperation with the top team Red Bull from 2026 is proving difficult, apparently the negotiations are temporarily on hold. The point of contention is the decision-making power that Porsche would have if it took over shares in the racing team.
"Red Bull has always been an independent team, that was one of our strengths," said team boss Christian Horner on the sidelines of the Dutch Grand Prix: "Our ability to make quick decisions is part of our DNA. We are not a company-run organization and that remains an absolute one prerequisite for the future." Potential partners would have to "decide whether they want to participate", but on the terms of the Red Bull team.
Helmut Marko, motorsport consultant at Red Bull, went even further. "We couldn't come to an agreement," he told "tz München" and "Münchner Merkur": "We won't sell any shares in Porsche. We're not the Porsche Supercup." According to Sport1, he also emphasized: "We have every opportunity to build our own engines."
For months, Formula 1 has been assuming a partnership between Red Bull and Porsche from 2026. Horner and Marko have also expressed benevolence on several occasions. Due to the high economic effort, Porsche allegedly wants to take over 50 percent of Red Bull Technology, but the German brand wants a say in the matter. According to media reports, Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz in particular is driving the partnership with Porsche, Horner and Marko are the doubters.
Porsche should now look around for other options in order to be able to start in Formula 1 anyway. According to Sport1, there is an opportunity at McLaren. Porsche's VW sister company Audi had recently announced entry from 2026, when new engine regulations with a higher proportion of electricity and sustainable fuels take effect in Formula 1. Audi initially confirmed its commitment as an engine manufacturer, but by the end of the year it should also be clear with which team the Ingolstadt team will be starting. An entry into the Sauber racing team is expected.
