Formula 1 team management was turned on its head at spin-dryer speed this week, here’s a look at what the remnant tea leaves suggest about what we do not know 100% yet.
So, Fred Vasseur has rented a Maranello apartment after all. Joined Ferrari in place of Mattia Binotto, who fled. Audi, nee Sauber, wasted no time to snatch ex-Porsche man Seidl from McLaren. Which took just as little time to promote Andrea Stella from the ranks. And, oh yes, Jost Capito and his wingman FX Demaison have left Williams. Just in case!
Is all fair in F1’s world of love and war?
This means all’s fair in the world of F1 love and war. Or is it? Well, far from it, actually.
What will still emerge, like a phoenix, from the jetsam and flotsam still left on the way too calm F1 water? What becomes of Binotto, Capito, et al? And where does rudderless Williams sit among all of this?
But wait, that’s not all. Not by any means! The real stories here are about Porsche and Andretti’s stuttering respective Formula 1 plans. And of Honda. Honda, you ask?
Well that news preempted the rest. Honda this week officially registered for F1 from 2026. And there’s more than enough smart money on that being without Red Bull. Honda’s current partners continue apace in their own F1 power unit plans anyway, so why should they?
Will Williams’ market value plummet?
A most intriguing fragment in all this revolves around Capito, Demaison and Williams. Which was only just recently said to be Porsche’s preferred future partner. Without those former Porsche’s cousin VW WRC two, Williams’ market value could very well plummet.
Interesting, considering Williams owner Dorilton’s asking price was allegedly ‘too rich’. So is their departure a ruse to devaluate Williams to allow Porsche to swoop on the pieces? Not very Porsche like. Or is it?
Now bring Andretti, desperate to enter F1 into the picture and the focus completely dissolves. Andretti is of course already tied in to Porsche through Formula E. But wait! 2023 is also Andretti’s 20th year with Honda in IndyCars. Which leaves a couple too many dots to join.
So, what emerges from this mire? There are a few permeations, none of which will feel strange after all, considering the already Machiavellian mystique of all this…
Porsche plotting Mission Impossible in F1?
One suggestion is that Porsche is plotting what most think is impossible – a ground-up turnkey Formula 1 comeback. Wait, before you laugh too loud out…
There are now three key men – among F1’s best, waiting to be plucked from obscurity. Team leader Capito and tech man Demaison are a credit to any budding F1 team. And Binotto is plausibly F1’s best engine man out there right now, just witness this year’s 066/7 lump. Making more sense yet?
Now Porsche is ‘two years behind’ on its 2026 F1 power unit plans. So who better than Binotto to fast track that? Plausibly initially even together with Audi. To speed both their plans up. That kinda covers the Porsche power unit conundrum, no?
Moving on to the team. Now far less than fully stacked, rudderless Williams has to be a prospect to forceful whipping boys Andretti. It has ties with both Porsche and Honda. So Mike, Mario and the lads can quite easily, and quite literally, swing both ways.
Honda is quite free to choose
Honda can of course pick and choose anyone it wants on the F1 grid beyond 2026. It has of course had world championship-winning collaborations with all three of Williams, McLaren and Red Bull over the years. Or it could just take over AlphaTauri in 2026. Or just stay put. Who knows where we will all be this time in 2025?
So there you have them. The F1 tealeaves of Capito and Demaison, Binotto, Williams, Andretti and Porsche. And Honda too. Read them as you may. But they certainly are there to be read!
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