Porsche and Red Bull’s partnership in Formula 1 is off before it even started.
The German sports car giant this weekend confirmed it has been in talks with Red Bull “on the possibility of Porsche’s entry into Formula 1”, but said the pair have “now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued”.
It’s believed Porsche was planning to join Red Bull if it could secure a 50 per cent stake in the team, rather than serving as an engine supplier.
Red Bull Racing team principal, Christian Horner, told Motorsport.com the breakdown was due to cultural differences between the two brands.
“There was never a financial discussion. Porsche is a great brand. But the DNA is quite different. During the discussion process it became clear that there was a strategic non-alignment,” Mr Horner told Motorsport.com at Monza.
Having previously bought engines from Renault and then Honda, Red Bull currently develops its own power unit with support from Honda. According to Christian Horner, it’s happy to keep going it alone.
“We are fully focused on a Red Bull power unit,” Mr Horner told Motorsport. “And if there was a like-minded partner that could contribute something to the project, then of course you would have to absolutely consider that. But it’s not a prerequisite.”
Porsche hasn’t ruled out being involved in Formula 1 down the track, despite the failed Red Bull deal.
“With the finalised rule changes, the racing series nevertheless remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be monitored,” it said in a media release.
The Volkswagen Group will have a presence in Formula 1, regardless of what Porsche does. Audi has confirmed it’ll be in from 2026, potentially in partnership with Sauber.
