Porsche announced today that their discussions to enter a Formula 1 partnership with Red Bull have ended, with no agreement reached.
With the 2026 F1 power unit regulations announced, Audi duly announced that it will enter the sport as a power unit supplier keeping the door open for having a full F1 operation as reports have linked them with talk Sauber Group over Alfa Romeo.
It was expected that the news of Porsche joining efforts with Red Bull should be announced soon after Audi’s declaration, but that did not happen, as speculation was rife in the past weeks that talks between the two companies are not going well.
Red Bull’s Christian Horner told Sky Sports F1 when asked about the Porsche discussions: “Red Bull has always been an independent team, it has been one of our strengths and it has been the backbone of what we have achieved and our ability to move quickly. It is part of the DNA of who we are.
“We are not a corporately operated organisation and that is one of our strengths in how we operate as a race team and that is an absolute pre-requisite for the future.
“They need to decide whether they want to join that party if not but it would have to be within the culture of the way to go racing,” Horner added.
All this gave a strong hint that all was not going well between Red Bull and Porsche who were rumored to be targeting a 50% take over of Red Bull’s F1 operations.
Porsche confirmed talks are over in statement
However, Porsche have finally confirmed that talks with the energy drinks outfit have been terminated with no deal reached between the two stakeholders.
Porsche confirmed on Friday ahead of the Italian Grand Prix that these talks had ended and that no partnership with Red Bull would be pursued.
“In the course of the last few months, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Red Bull GmbH have held talks on the possibility of Porsche’s entry into Formula 1,” the statement reads. “The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued.
“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. This could not be achieved.
“With the finalised rule changes, the racing series nevertheless remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be monitored,” Porsche’s statement concluded.
In the course of the last few months, #Porsche AG and Red Bull GmbH have held talks on the possibility of Porsche’s entry into Formula 1. The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued. More: https://t.co/ZtOfoYr7U4 pic.twitter.com/1XCKaLbPfk
— Porsche Newsroom (@PorscheNewsroom) September 9, 2022