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- Porsche and Red Bull were in talks for a Formula 1 tie-up from 2026 onwards.
- The German manufacturer's demands were too high for Red Bull, and the deal fell through.
- Sister-brand Audi will enter Formula 1 in 2026.
Porsche's re-entry into Formula 1 had been one of the biggest talking points throughout 2022. Rumours of a collaboration with a leading team quickly raced up and down the paddock, eventually confirming that the German automaker was in talks with its Austrian neighbours, Red Bull Racing.
It was a dream pairing, but the dream only looked good on paper. In reality, what Porsche wanted was something Red Bull would never give up - at least not for what Porsche had offered in return.
Everything went sour quickly, and the Red Bull-Porsche talks fell through the mat. The Austrian team eventually agreed to a technical partnership with American automotive giant Ford, who returns to the sport in 2026 after last competing in 2004, albeit under then-subsidiary Jaguar.
Sadly for Porsche, an opportunity to partner with an existing team from 2026 onwards does not seem possible. Still, the sportscar maker did confirm that they will continue to monitor the F1 landscape.
"The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing, which would include not only an engine partnership but also the team," Porsche said in an official statement.
"This could not be achieved (with Red Bull Racing). With the finalised rule changes, the racing series nevertheless remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be monitored."
Why the negotiations fell flat
Porsche is a major player in the world of sports cars. Its pedigree is almost without peer, and it would be a dream situation for any team - be it in F1 or any motorsport category - to be associated with this great German brand.
However, F1 teams are not in the game of begging for money anymore. Well, not as much as they used to be. The implemented budget caps (since 2021) have made it possible for teams to manage their funds better, and the reliance on huge funds has taken a giant step back. Porsche may have forgotten this crucial bit of information.
Porsche wanted a 50% stake in the Red Bull team and influence on the powertrains Red Bull will be producing for the 2026 season - all this while the Austrian team invested heavily in setting up its Red Bull Powertrains division.
It was what Porsche wanted: a maximum stake in a team without, on the face of it, having to build its powertrains (like Audi) or fund its own team.
READ: Former F1 driver says Audi's initial 2026 goal will be to beat rivals Mercedes-AMG
Red Bull could not have this because they'd effectively give up sole ownership.
Porsche's entry into F1 looks a lot bleaker, too, because they missed the deadline to sign on as an engine supplier from 2026 onwards, and they don't seem to have the capital to fund their own team and fill one of the two slots the FIA created for new teams to join the sport in 2026.
For their part, Porsche offered their name for branding purposes, some financial backing, and limited technical resources. This while the team they'd partner with must offer the bulk of the infrastructure and the personnel for the team to function optimally.
This deal was not fair on Red Bull's part, which is why they declined.
Are Porsche's chances gone?
The Volkswagen Group, of which Porsche and Audi are sub-brands, wanted both automakers in the F1 fold come 2026. With F1 moving towards carbon neutrality and cleaner fuels, the allure of being at the forefront of this fuel revolution can't be ignored.
Porsche is working on a synthetic fuel, and F1 is ready to introduce this type of fuel in 2026.
Audi is already successful with their 2026 entry, having come to an agreement with Sauber. But Porsche? Nothing yet. And it may seem that Porsche's chances of making it onto the F1 grid are growing slimmer by the day.
READ: Porsche's 2026 F1 entry at risk as Red Bull 'is nervous' over reported 50% buyout
"F1 is developing extremely positively worldwide," former VW CEO Herbert Diess said in 2022.
"If you look at the major sporting events or events in the world, it's the case that in motorsport, it's really only F1 that counts and is becoming increasingly differentiated.
"As Markus Duesman [chairman of Audi and former BMW F1 head of powertrains] always tells me, you usually make up one second per season on a medium-sized race track simply by optimising details.
"But you can't catch up on that when you join a new team: you need five or 10 years to be among the front runners. In other words, you can only get on board if you have a major rule change.
"That will come in 2026, when the engines will be electrified to a much greater extent, including synthetic fuels. That means you need a new engine development, and you need three or four years to develop a new engine.
"That means you can decide now to do F1 - or then probably not again for 10 years."
The deadline to be an engine supplier in 2026 has passed. And existing teams are almost certainly assured of the names they will be competing under and the major sponsors they will be competing with in 2026.
There is no mention of Porsche, unless someone, somewhere, somehow performs a miracle and a team is willing to agree to the demands set by Porsche.
Porsche's next best chance, it seems, is to enter F1 around 2030, when the new technical regulations are pencilled for introduction. But as for 2026, that race is over.
