PORSCHE AND RED BULL LINK-UP IS A NON-STARTER
Porsche officials have insisted they are still keen to enter grand prix racing in 2026 despite a breakdown in negotiations with Red Bull Racing.
The two parties had been in discussions for months about a possible tie-up, but talks broke down last week as the German car giant wanted an “equal footing” in the partnership that would have meant taking a significant stake in the team.
Red Bull Racing chiefs were keen to keep their operation on an independent basis.
“The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing,” said a statement from Porsche. “[It would] include not only an engine partnership but also the team. This could not be achieved.”
Audi has already confirmed that it will join the F1 grid in 2026, likely as partner to Sauber and it is expected that it too will take a holding in the team.
Red Bull’s Christian Horner said that the team’s own power unit department was “a long way down the road” with its 2026 motor but says that an ongoing partnership with Honda, which officially withdrew from F1, on the hybrid side might continue in the future.
“Whether or not there was some interest potentially on the battery side, and any potential synergies there, it could be an interesting discussion,” said Horner.
“But [on] the combustion and mechanical side of the engine, we’re on a road map to 2026 that we’re very happy with.”