German automaker Porsche has officially ruled out joining the grid for 2026 F1 or any time in the near future.
The decision comes after the collapse of Porsche’s deal to purchase a 50% stake in Red Bull Racing and failed exploratory discussions with McLaren.
Porsche’s initial plans to make an entry in 2026 F1 had generated significant excitement among fans and experts alike. The German manufacturer had been expected to take a controlling interest in the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull team, even going as far as to trademark the term ‘F1nally’ ahead of the anticipated announcement.
However, the deal fell through at the final hurdle, reportedly due to opposition from key Red Bull figures, including team principal Christian Horner, chief technical officer Adrian Newey, and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.
With the Red Bull partnership no longer an option, Porsche explored other avenues to join the sport, including discussions with McLaren. However, these talks also failed to progress, leaving the automaker with limited alternatives.
Speaking on Porsche’s potential Formula One endeavor, motorsports chief Thomas Laudenbach said they have no plans to make an entry anytime soon.
“It is off the table,” Laudenbach told Autosport. “Right now F1 is not a task for us and we are not spending any energy on that.
“We are only focused on what we do right now, and if you look at it, we have many different activities: we are well-occupied and extremely happy with what we do.”
One of the key factors that contributed to Porsche’s inability to secure a 2026 F1 entry was its insistence on commanding the project on its own terms.
The manufacturer wanted to enter the sport as an equal partner, with control over both the engine partnership and the team. However, teams were unwilling to give up a majority stake, something Porsche had required from the start.
In contrast, sister company Audi successfully agreed a deal with Sauber that will see the Volkswagen-owned brand own 75% of the Swiss team by the start of the 2026 season. Audi’s commitment to manufacturing its own engines made its offer to Sauber more attractive, while Porsche was looking to control an existing team.
Despite abandoning its F1 plans, Porsche has stated that the racing series remains an attractive environment for the company, which will continue to be monitored.
The brand’s motorsport focus will now be on sportscars with the German manufacturer being involved in IMSA, WEC and several other GT categories alongside its successful Formula E effort, where it aims to fight for overall victories.
“We are engaged in customer racing from track days, GT4, one-make series up to professional GT racing [in GT3],” Laudenbach added.
“On top of that we are racing in the two most important endurance racing series [the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship with the 963 LMDh] with our partner Penske.
“The third part, since electrification of our brand is very important, is our engagement in Formula E, which is the only full-electric series on a high level. I think we are really well served.”
Adding to the company’s move away from Formula 1, Laudenbach also confirmed that Porsche has no interest in becoming an engine supplier for the NTT IndyCar Series.
Porsche’s F1 history has been a tale of both triumphs and setbacks. The brand has only achieved one Grand Prix victory, at the 1962 French Grand Prix at Rouen, thanks to Dan Gurney.
Later, during McLaren’s dominating phase in the 1980s with Alain Prost and Niki Lauda, the automaker provided the team with its 1.5-liter turbo power unit. However, its fleeting comeback to the sport in 1991 with Footwork turned out to be an outright disappointment.
