E-FUELS COULD TEMPT PORSCHE BACK TO F1
“PORSCHE AND VOLKSWAGEN AG ARE OBSERVING THE CHANGING REGULATIONS IN ALL RELEVANT RACING SERIES AROUND THE WORLD” FRITZ ENZINGER, PORSCHE MOTORSPORT
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Formula 1’s roadmap towards net-zero carbon status by 2030 may yet tempt one of motor racing’s most evocative names back to F1. Speaking to BBC Sport, Porsche Motorsport vice-president Fritz Enzinger said the company and its parent, the Volkswagen Group, might consider entering F1 as an engine supplier should certain conditions be met.
“Porsche and Volkswagen AG are observing the changing regulations in all relevant racing series around the world,” said Enzinger. “This is also the case with regard to the emerging new engine and drivetrain regulation for F1 from 2025.”
That is the year in which a new engine formula is expected to come into force as F1 works towards fulfilling its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon status in 2030. F1 has said the key objectives for this generation are “environmental sustainability and social and automotive relevance, fully sustainable fuel, creating a powerful and emotive power unit, and significant cost reduction”. It also indicated that “attractiveness to new power unit manufacturers” was a significant target.
F1 has committed to introducing so-called ‘e-fuels’ from 2025. As outlined in the November 2019 issue of GP Racing by our technical columnist Pat Symonds, these carbon-neutral fuels can be synthetically produced (via processes which capture carbon from the atmosphere) or made from bio-mass, and can replace fossil fuels in internal combustion engines.
“It would be of great interest if aspects of sustainability – for instance, the implementation of e-fuels – play a role in this,” said Enzinger. “Should these aspects be confirmed, we will evaluate them in detail and discuss further steps.”
GP Racing understands that while some car manufacturers have committed to phasing out internal combustion engines by 2030, others still believe this form of power has a role – provided e-fuels can be brought to market cost-effectively. While electrification reduces emissions for the end user, electricity has to be generated and the industrial processes used to manufacture cars also require power. In February Porsche announced a pilot project in partnership with Siemens and three energy companies to produce e-fuels in Chile.