Porsche’s aspirations to return to System 1 are actually “a closed chapter”, the marque’s motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach has revealed.
Laudenbach’s assertion that Porsche has no plans for a comeback greater than 30 years on from its final engagement as an engine provider with Footwork in 1991 symbolize the producer’s first feedback about an F1 entry for the reason that full unveiling of the 2026 laws in June.
They comply with almost two years on from the breakdown of its potential partnership with Crimson Bull Racing that may have concerned it changing into a 50% proprietor of the workforce and its new powertrain division
At that stage, in September 2022, Porsche nonetheless talked about F1 as “a lovely surroundings” within the assertion saying that it was not pursuing the Crimson Bull choice, however now Laudenbach has now acknowledged that it’s “not a subject for us”.
“It’s off the desk: proper now F1 will not be a process for us and we aren’t spending any power on that,” he defined.
“We’re solely centered on what we do proper now, and in the event you have a look at it, we have now many various actions: we’re well-occupied and very proud of what we do.”
Laudenbach pointed to Porsche’s large motorsport portfolio, describing it as “almost the proper match for the model”.
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche, Porsche 99X Electrical Gen3
Picture by: Andreas Beil
“We’re engaged in buyer racing from observe days, GT4, one-make collection as much as skilled GT racing [in GT3],” he defined.
“On high of that we’re racing within the two most vital endurance racing collection [the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship with the 963 LMDh] with our accomplice Penske.
“The third half, since electrification of our model is essential, is our engagement in System E, which is the one full-electric collection on a excessive degree.
“I believe we’re rather well served.”
Laudenbach additionally acknowledged that Porsche had no real interest in becoming a member of the IndyCar Collection as an engine provider.
Volkswagen introduced in April 2022 that each its Porsche and Audi manufacturers had been pursuing F1 entries and that plans had been within the “ultimate analysis part”.
For Porsche these evaluations concerned a link-up with Crimson Bull that in the end foundered as a result of, it mentioned, the partnership it sought based mostly on an “equal footing” couldn’t be achieved.
Crimson Bull boss Christian Horner subsequently mentioned that there was a “strategic non-alignment” and that the workforce didn’t wish to diminish its “values and virtues”.
The Milton Keynes-based squad subsequently agreed a cope with Ford for 2026 to badge the brand new 2026 engine produced by Crimson Bull Powertrains.
Audi introduced its intent to enter F1 for the primary time in ’26 as an engine provider in August ’22 after which took a minority stake in Sauber early final 12 months earlier than finishing a 100% takeover this spring.
Porsche received a single world championship race throughout its first stint in F1 for the opening two years of the 1.5-litre formulation beginning in 1961, with Dan Gurney triumphing on the 1962 French Grand Prix at Rouen driving a Porsche 804.
Porsche was commissioned by McLaren to construct the 1.5-litre turbo engine that ran with TAG (Strategies d’Avant Garde) badges and claimed the 1984, ’85 and ’86 world titles.