Porsche and Volkswagen Group are considering joining Formula 1. The ambition of Volkswagen to join Formula 1 comes with a caveat. Any such move will depend on whether the sport’s next engine regulations in 2025 are environmentally sustainable or not. The news of Volkswagen’s interest follows Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali comment in January about some new manufacturers entering the sport.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Porsche Motorsport vice-president Fritz Enzinger said, “It would be of great interest if aspects of sustainability – for instance, the implementation of e-fuels – play a role in this. Should these aspects be confirmed, we will evaluate them in detail within the VW Group and discuss further steps.”
Enzinger also admitted that Porsche and Volkswagen AG are keeping a close eye on constantly changing regulations in all relevant racing series around the world.
FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, aims to make F1 a net zero carbon sport by 2030. With environmentally friendly series such as Formula E and Extreme E, they have already embarked on the road. Furthermore, e-fuels would become a central part of the sport from 2025. E-fuels are carbon-neutral fuels that can power internal combustion engines without the environmental impact of traditional fossil fuels. This fuel comes in different forms, including bio-fuels, which are made from bio-mass, and synthetic fuels, which are manufactured by capturing carbon from the atmosphere.
Since Porsche is already building a manufacturing plant for synthetic fuels in southern Chile, Volkswagen Group’s interest in the e-fuel centric future of F1 makes a lot of sense. Whether the company will consider joining F1 as a constructor or an engine supplier to an existing team is still unclear. However, the company is believed to be in initial talks with Red Bull, McLaren, and Williams.