Porsche and Red Bull have collectively called off their F1 deal which would have seen the German brand return to the F1 grid in 2026.
The breakdown of talks between the two companies comes as a shock to the moto racing world as the agreement was as good as done with just a few details left to iron out. With Audi already announcing its plan, Porche was expected to follow suit.
But according to reports, the rift between the two started due to a disparity between how much control Porsche wanted and what Red Bull was prepared to give in their F1 deal.
Red Bull principal Christian Horner had alluded to ruling out a Porsche takeover last Friday saying any partnership would have to be on the Formula 1 team’s terms and not the other way around.
“In the course of the last few months, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Red Bull GmbH have held talks on the possibility of Porsche’s entry into Formula 1,” said Porsche in a statement.
“The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued.
“With the changes to regulation, the racing series remains an attractive prospect for Porsche which we will continue to monitor,” the statement added.
FIA has approved engine regulations for 2026, significantly increasing electrical power, using 100% sustainable fuels and removing the current Motor Generator Unit Heat (MGU-H) element, which was all reportedly pre-requisite for the Volkswagen Group brands to come in.
Despite the setback, Porsche announced its plan to continue looking for another F1 partnership.
