Translation:
Nipped in the bud a year ago, the Porsche Formula 1 project could finally see the light of day in a way that was at least unexpected.
In the fall of 2022, after playing in Arles, the Zuffenhausen manufacturer put its desires to arrive in F1 on hold following the collapse of discussions with Red Bull which, in the meantime, chose to marry Ford.
Meanwhile, at Neuburg HQ, Audi Sport continues its preparation for the 2026 season where all four rings will be present on the Saubers.
But since the announcement of the arrival of the Ingolstadt brand, trouble has flowed within the VAG group with the premature ousting of Audi CEO Markus Duesmann who had allowed the F1 project to come to fruition.
His successor, Gernot Döllner, on the other hand, would be much less enthusiastic about Formula 1 and, like any CEO of a large company, takes great pleasure in unraveling everything that his predecessor accomplished in order to better leave his mark.
An internal source at Audi told us that Döllner would be ready to withdraw his brand from the championship, but that would not mean that we will not see the Volkswagen group in Formula 1 in two and a half years.
The Audi F1 project would indeed be taken over by… Porsche! The other flagship of the VW giant would not, however, start from scratch and would use the work employed by its colleague. In other words, it would be a simple rebranding, while Porsche would renounce its commitment to Formula E at the end of 2025.
This idea nevertheless makes the heart of the great VAG galaxy cringe. Like two enemy brothers in the same family, the Porsche and Audi staff maintain mutual animosity. To say that there is frying on the line between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria is therefore an understatement.
Seeing the Stuttgart coat of arms on the facade of the Audi Sport facilities in Neuburg would therefore be seen as a humiliation for the staff of the four rings who are viscerally attached to their brand.
There are therefore still many obstacles to overcome to see Porsche in Formula 1, which would allow Audi to obtain the necessary breathing space to carry out its project.