The arrival of Porsche and Audi in Formula 1 from 2026 seemed to be just a formality, but this morning all doubts that might still exist have been cleared up. The CEO of the Volkswagen Group, Herbert Diess , has confirmed that both brands will arrive at the Grand Circus as motorcyclists, although it is not yet known which teams they will collaborate with.
“Volkswagen does not enter Formula 1. It is not a suitable brand for it and will not participate,” the CEO of the VW Group said immediately. “But I can say this: Our premium brands have already decided to enter Formula 1 with our support. For Porsche , the project is already relatively concrete. For Audi , not so much yet.”
The reasons for the entry of Porsche and Audi to Formula 1 for 2026
Since Liberty Media took over the commercial rights to F1, the championship has expanded very strongly into very important car markets such as the United States. But also in terms of communication, social networks and entertainment, in fact, Netflix is a great example of this.
All these reasons have been key for Porsche and Audi to make the decision to enter F1, without forgetting the important regulatory change that will welcome a new generation of power units from 2026.
“What are the reasons for the decision? To begin with, it must be said that F1 is expanding in a very positive way throughout the world. The category has not yet fully reached the United States. The marketing that is being done there , with Netflix leading that momentum, will further grow interest in the US.”
“In Asia it’s also growing significantly, including among young people. If you look at the major sporting events around the world, in motorsport, it’s really just Formula 1. If you want to do racing, you have to be in Formula 1. There it is. the biggest impact.
“Also, you can’t get into Formula 1 if there isn’t a regulatory change. This means that for new [teams or motorists] to decide to get in, you have to change the rules so everyone is starting from scratch in some sense.”
“This has happened now and it will also happen in 2026, when the engines will be more electric, even with synthetic fuels. This means that everyone needs to develop a new engine. And that takes you three to four years. That means that the time is right to decide to enter F1”.
“And our two premium brands think so. They both say that they will only compete in Formula 1 and that they will withdraw from many other categories, because this will already have a global impact.”
“Both are confident that F1 will be very sustainable. It will run on synthetic fuels, it will be CO2 neutral and it will have a much higher percentage of electrification. more than today. So the marketing platform will be bigger.”
“We really wouldn’t need to get into Formula 1. But our premium brands think it’s the perfect place to increase their value. And it’s also a unique place to show the competition that you have superior technology, as is the case with Audi. That is why the board of directors and the entire supervisory board have voted in favour.”
“Audi still has to decide how and with which team it will do it. But both have started to develop their own engines,” confirmed the CEO of the VW Group.
Porsche and Audi, two different situations before their arrival in F1
Both brands are different. One is sports and the other luxury. The clientele is different and so are their situations. But Formula 1 could be their lowest common denominator to increase the appeal of the two brands, not only making them stronger, but also putting them more on a level playing field with their rivals.
“Porsche generates 4 billion euros a year and should continue to do so in the future. For this, the brand needs charisma, visibility and to be attractive. Porsche has to be the sportiest car brand in the world. Porsche has to do motorsport and it more efficient is Formula 1. “
“As for Audi , the brand is weaker than Porsche, it has less appeal. But F1 is the best option for them because as a brand itself it has a lot of potential. If it succeeds against Daimler (Mercedes), it can benefit hugely. “Audi wants to make three million cars by 2030 and wants to raise prices by spreading to the higher segments. It will abandon the lower segments to try to fight Daimler, so its entry into F1 will make sense,” Diess concluded.
