Porsche looking “seriously” at F1 engine supply from 2021 onwards
Porsche’s financial chief has confirmed that the Stuttgart manufacturer is seriously considering a return to F1 as an engine supplier under the proposed 2021 regulations.
Lutz Meschke, deputy chairman of the executive board and member of the board for Finances and IT, met with Ross Brawn and the sport’s other bosses at the Italian GP last weekend.
Although it has not been directly involved with the sport since its disastrous relationship with the Footwork team in 1991, Porsche has retained a commercial involvement with the F1 organisation through the Supercup, paying for it to have a place on the support programme.
The F1 opportunity has opened up because Porsche stops its LMP1 project at the end of this season, having decided that it doesn’t get sufficient return for what is in effect an F1 budget, but without the income and sponsorship that the likes of Mercedes enjoys.
The company has already made a commitment to Formula E with a works-backed team from the 2019-2020 season. However, it has also sent representatives to the series of recent meetings about the 2021 F1 engine regulations.
“F1 could be one of the right places,” Meschke told Motorsport.com. “As you know Formula E is very important for us now, and F1 is always a good topic to think about. And I think we are in quite good discussions regarding the new engine.”
Asked if the current plans for a twin-turbo V6 with less technology could attract Porsche to F1 he said: “Absolutely. We have to cut costs in F1, and it’s a good way to reach this target.”
Meschke also confirmed that “discussions are around being a supplier,” and thus there are no plans for Porsche to form a works team.