VW won’t be joining Formula 1, not even as an engine supplier via its iconic racing Porsche brand, the company’s chairman has said. And that despite apparent interest from both Red Bull and McLaren.
The German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine has the news. Here is the so-so Google translation:
VW will enter yet neither one of its brands even as an engine supplier in Formula 1. According to information this newspaper Ferdinand Piech, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, a commitment has declined. The Group would not comment on the issue on Monday. In recent weeks, a startup manager VW by Porsche in 2012 and indicated that fired wide speculation (see: Volkswagen toying with the formula 1).
In fact, VW was discussed behind the scenes of a performance as a team, or at least the equipment of existing racing teams with a VW engine. Among other things, to Red Bull and McLaren at the company to have the opportunity of cooperation have inquired. The protagonists of a Formula 1 involvement in VW in the past two years, took part in the development of a new engine regulations for racing.
I can’t think of a better way for Porsche to enter the scene than as an engine supplier to one of those teams. I wonder what downside the company saw?
There is this, which could explain things partially:
What is heard, VW wants to join the World Rally Championship, enter and present themselves at the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice: Porsche to drive to Audi.
Now that translation is a bit hard to unpack. The WRC part makes sense, but I’m not 100% sure of what the Le Mans info is supposed to mean. Maybe Porsche in a different class from Audi? Surely VW wouldn’t compete against itself… or would it?
Do you take anything away from this news? Does it reflect badly on F1 versus Le Mans? Are you glad we aren’t (apparently) getting another manufacturer involved?
And what do you make of both Red Bull and McLaren apparently looking around for a different engine supplier?
