We feel that the time is no longer for uncertainty on the merits, but more to know more about the form of the future commitment of the Volkswagen group in Formula 1. During an exchange by videoconference on Monday, the president of Volkswagen’s management board, Herbert Diess, was rather talkative on the issue, announcing as acquired the joint arrivals of Porsche and Audi in the premier category by 2026.
« Volkswagen will not race in F1 under its own name, I can already tell you that »he recalled. « But our two premium brands in southern Germany have decided, with our support, to enter Formula 1. At Porsche, these projects are already relatively concrete, at Audi not so much. »
« What are the reasons we are getting into F1? First of all, F1 is developing extremely positively around the world. F1 hasn’t had much visibility in the US for a long time, but What’s going on there right now marketing-wise is amazing. The Netflix series you know has had a big boost in audience interest in America, Asia, and a lot more interest from young people. If we look at the biggest sports in the world, in motorsport, only Formula 1 counts. The contrast with other motorsport disciplines is also increasingly important. If you want to do motorsport, you have to be in Formula 1. That’s where the effect is greatest. »
For the leaders of Volkswagen, the regulatory changes planned for 2026, and on which the FIA F1 Commission precisely took stock last week, constitute the only opportunity to be seized. Otherwise the German group would let slip any possibility of engaging in the discipline in the next decade, at least.
« You can’t get into F1 every year. You actually need a major rule change to get in, where everyone is practically starting from zero. Markus Duesmann [président d’Audi] told me that, under stable regulations, F1 teams save about a second a year simply by optimizing their package. As a newcomer, you can’t catch up, it takes five to ten years to be ahead. This means that we can only be competitive if there is a big change in regulations, and this is what will happen in 2026 when they will accentuate the electric part of the engine. Due to the development time required, the decision must be made three to four years before such a regulatory change. It means that we can decide today whether or not to commit to F1 for the next ten years.
Audi still needs to find a team
Herbert Diess in fact confirms almost all of the information relayed in recent months, even if he did not clearly mention the name of Red Bull, a team clearly expected to link up with Porsche within four years. We also understand that in the case of Audi, everything remains to be done with a less advanced project. Nevertheless, between the lines, it seems likely that the brand with the rings will definitively put aside its plan to return to Endurance (already on hiatus for several weeks).
To whom will Porsche and Audi turn to settle on the grid?
« Both brands think it’s a good thing to get involved and they are prioritizing this F1 project »emphasizes Herbert Diess. « They say ‘We only do F1’, and withdraw from many other championships. F1 is the most attractive to them and both brands believe that with synthetic fuels it will also be environmentally sustainable. We assume that F1 will still be the biggest championship in 2026 and 2028. »
The respective boards of directors of Porsche and Audi had already given the green light for an F1 project, it was still necessary to pass the great oral with the parent company. For political reasons and timing, formalization in due form has not yet fallen, but the words of Herbert Diess are unequivocal, as are his details concerning the differences that had to be overcome. Be that as it may, and despite the stage of progress of the two parallel projects, the technical work on two distinct engines has already begun.
“I must also add that the discussion within the board of directors was not unanimous”he acknowledges. « Not everyone saw it that way because we certainly have other strategic priorities. We have enough to do and we don’t really need Formula 1. But our premium brands say it’s the most important lever to increase the value of a brand, but also to demonstrate to the competition that we have superior technology, in the case of Audi.That is why the board of directors and the board of monitoring have both voted in favour. Audi has yet to decide how and with which team. But both have started to develop engines. »
With Ronald Vording
