The two VW Group brands are about to formally confirm their entry into the category, with Porsche set to join forces with the Red Bull Powertrains project, and Audi in the process of building its own power unit, as well as planning the acquisition of Sauber.
However, neither company wants to commit officially until the FIA has agreed and published the final regulations for 2026.
Porsche had intended to make an announcement at Red Bull’s home race in Austria this weekend, but the Stuttgart manufacturer had to postpone its plans pending further rule developments.
Key points of debate surrounding the 2026 regulations include concessions for new entrants in areas such as increased power bank usage time relative to established brands in the category.
Some paddock sources have suggested that the current manufacturers are in no rush to pass the regulations, as any delay makes it harder for Porsche and Audi, giving them less time to prepare their entry.
However, both Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stressed that they had agreed to shelve the MGU-H. They say that accepting this requirement from Porsche and Audi is key for the VW Group brands to enter in 2026, and indicate that they are willing to accept new entrants.
“We are very optimistic about Audi and Porsche joining F1,” Binotto said when asked by Motorsport.com about the idea floating around the paddock that Ferrari and Mercedes are delaying the regulations.
“We’re very optimistic because it’s great for F1, it’s great to have more manufacturers. And it’s great to have the VW Group in our business and in the championship.”
“So I think we’ve done everything we can to try and adapt and make sure they were happy. We took the MGU-H off, we did it just to try to help them join F1, and I think for us taking the H off is something that maybe not the best option.
“It’s a compromise because it’s a technology that we know quite well. It’s a very high-efficiency technology, which is great for F1. So I think overall, again, we’re very optimistic and constructive.”
“So now why is it taking so long? Because it’s the time it takes to get these things right. And we’re just not ready at the moment. Not just us as current manufacturers but also the FIA because they’re They are the ones leading the conversations.”
“And I also think that for Audi and Porsche, the current regulations are not ready yet. There are still open points. And those open points simply have to be addressed, discussed and agreed upon.”
For his part, Wolff insisted that Mercedes also wants to see the final regulation, adding: “On the contrary, we don’t want to delay that regulation, but we want to have it on track.”
“We have given in with the H, which was something very important to accommodate the new ones,” said the Austrian.
“And anyway, we were told that by the end of the year [2021], that we were going to have confirmation that they’re joining the party. That announcement hasn’t happened until today, I don’t know why.”
The Silver Arrows boss suggested that the new entrants are too focused on the final confirmation of the rules: “This is an environment where the rules will be constantly changing, so you can’t make [your entry] dependent on the rules “.
“We’ve made big strides towards them. And then we’re going to take those final steps in the regulations. It’s more the detail, and it doesn’t matter if we discuss 50 hours of power bench up and down for a newcomer.”
“But we’d like them to be part of the program. They’ve been sitting at the table negotiating those regulations for a while, but they haven’t committed yet.”
