Formula 1 is clearly at its peak, adding new races, selling out many circuits and enjoying a significant influx of sponsors, especially from the tech industry.
The general opinion regarding the arrival of Audi and Porsche by 2026 is that two new manufacturers can only contribute to that growth.
“I think we are very happy that Porsche and Audi are joining F1, it’s great for the sport,” said Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto .
“And it’s also great for us to compete with such brands. Overall, I think it’s good news, which we should be very happy about.”
“It’s great if the Volkswagen Group joins F1,” agrees Mercedes boss Toto Wolff . “It’s a fantastic brand, it adds credibility to what we do. And they are competitors. But from what I understand, it’s not official yet.”
“They’ve been sitting at the table discussing the new rules, but until that commitment is actually confirmed, we can’t know what the plans are.”
In fact, Volkswagen has made it clear that its arrival depends on how the rules are finally. And the key is the debate on the concessions that will be given to the new manufacturers and how they will be managed.
Those concessions are a key part of the Volkswagen plan. Understandably, they have so far been reluctant to enter F1 and compete with established brands without some help to balance the years of experience that others have amassed.
That is why VW has waited for the technical specification changes to come in 2026, in particular with the removal of the MGU-H . Because while there will be things that stay the same, a new engine regulation creates a reset and therefore a new beginning for everyone.
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In addition, as part of the cost reduction measures, manufacturers will have to operate within a budget limit for the power unit and also comply with restrictions on test bench time, similar to those currently in place with respect to aerodynamics.
Crucially, within those rules, new manufacturers will be able to spend more on development and use more dyno hours to get closer to brands that have been in F1 for years.
Volkswagen’s plan has yet to be officially confirmed, but it is clear that Porsche and Audi intend to develop separate engine projects. Porsche will work together with Red Bull Powertrains , while Audi will focus on its base in Neckarsulm in Germany, from where its successful WEC hybrid program was run.
His rivals have two main concerns. First of all, what exactly is considered a new entrant? The fear is that the RBP/Porsche project may have its roots in the intellectual property of Honda ‘s current power unit, giving the Stuttgart marque an advantage that calls into question its position as a newcomer.
The teams also want assurances that the Porsche and Audi projects are truly independent, and that R&D resources that would benefit both and circumvent the aforementioned restrictions will not be crossed or shared.
“I think it’s still not clear who really comes in as a supplier of power units,” says Wolff.
“And who are considered newcomers. It could well be that there are three companies from the same group that enter as new manufacturers, but the picture is still not very clear.”
In theory, the details of what is and is not allowed should be ironed out in the coming months.
“On the rules themselves, we know that the goal is to try to finish them off by June and then vote on them in June,” says Binotto.
“All the discussion that we had, and are still having at the moment, is still taking into account the fact that Porsche and Audi could have come together, so it’s not something new in that sense.
“And there are no, let me say, new discussions related to that. But there are still unresolved points in general. There are open points that refer to the financial rules, because they have to be finalized and formalized.”
“What is a newcomer and how do we define a newcomer, a new manufacturer? What are the benefits of a newcomer? All of that needs to be clarified and defined in some way. On top of that, there’s the whole transfer of ownership intellectual, because it shouldn’t be allowed.
“We agreed on that. As for how to write that into the rules, it’s hard to know. There are points on the technical side that are still under open discussion. So there are a lot of things that need to be moved forward and finalized, and between now and June is very close, which means we need to work on it as a high priority.”
Mattia Binotto, director of Ferrari
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi is of a similar opinion: he welcomes competition, but wants assurances on how it will work.
“I think it’s good, I think it’s good for the sport,” he told Motorsport.com of the VW Group’s arrival. “But we really have to pay attention to a couple of things. We have to check and make sure that two separate teams are two separate teams, do you know where I’m going?”
“We need to make sure that if they enter as teams, are they official teams, do they come from Porsche, Audi, Red Bull or Honda? Do they have specific treatment or not? In short, is the category going to be better or is it going to be worse?”.
Rossi insists that newcomers should not receive too many benefits at the expense of those who have supported F1 for decades.
“Suddenly, to favor new entrants, are they treated differently from those who were already there?” he asks.
“And I suppose the other teams share our concern, but it especially affects us as a works team, because we have literally invested billions in engines over the last 20 or 40 years with Renault.
“It’s not about someone coming in and taking the good part because they’re given a red carpet. Because basically that disrupts our business model and puts a lot of jobs at risk.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner is yet to confirm any future deal with Porsche, although his rivals are convinced it is already signed.
However, his team is committed to using a Red Bull Powertrains product in 2026, whatever name appears on the car, and as such Horner is interested in concessions.
“I think the framework that actually exists within the power unit rules is reasonable from a newcomer’s perspective,” he says. “That obviously will be Red Bull Powertrains by 2026.”
Horner detailed the financial concessions new entrants will receive between 2023 and 2025 as they develop their new power units.
“I think for the new manufacturers it will be 10 million dollars (9.2 million euros) in the first two years and 5 million (4.6 million euros) in the third year.”
Christian Horner, director de Red Bull Racing
“I think what’s more restrictive, what needs to be looked at, is from a CapEx perspective because essentially you’re only allowed $15 million worth of capex on equipment from the time the cap is set. “.
Horner’s argument is that while Red Bull is determined to equip its new powertrain facility with dynamometers and such, it probably won’t have it done by early next year. And at that point there will be restrictions on how much can be invested in new machinery.
“Now when you look at our competitors, who in some cases obviously have 70 years of investment on the engine side, to think that you can have a fully operational and equipped facility within the next eight or nine months is unrealistic. So I think That is something that needs to be reviewed.”
Wolff, meanwhile, says that number isn’t everything.
“Whether or not 15 million CapEx is enough, there are much more important issues that we need to agree on and that we still don’t.”
The question of whether Honda is just becoming Porsche remains a topical issue.
That may help explain Red Bull’s decision to change the original plan to build the current engine in Milton Keynes with Honda parts between 2023 and 2025, and instead continue to source complete units directly from Japan.
By doing so, there is a clearer separation between old and new projects, and it also helps preserve Red Bull Powertrains’ desire to be a new manufacturer (and thus receive concessions).
As behind-the-scenes discussions about the big picture continue, Red Bull is slowly putting the pieces of its new division together. By any standard, it’s an ambitious undertaking.
“As far as our own preparation, we’re on target,” says Horner. “We’re moving into our new facility in May, and the first Red Bull engine will be on the dyno at the end of the year. So they’re making a lot of progress.”
“Exciting times are coming, it’s a super exciting project. We’ve signed on some great talent from all corners of the industry and, yes, this is a new chapter. But 2026, while it seems like a long way off, it’s actually much closer than expected.” what we think”.
