What does the silence surrounding Porsche and Audi's entry into F1 mean?

At the end of last year, there were still many rumours going around about a possible entry into F1 from Audi or Porsche. Despite some rumours of announcements, it has been quiet around these brands for some time now. Is Volkswagen, the umbrella body of these brands, too late to get in?

New teams in F1

At the end of last year, the FIA indicated in a short slogan that they want to become more sustainable, simpler and cheaper with F1. Especially the point of being more sustainable was an important requirement for Volkswagen to consider entering F1 with Porsche or Audi. Yet it has been quiet for some time around the brand's entry into the premier class of motorsport. Auto Motor und Sport asked around in the paddock what things currently look like.

The medium says that with the most recent noises of Michael Andretti wanting to enter the sport with his own team, the possibilities can be looked at more closely. The current teams are said to be fending off the entry of the new Andretti team because they are afraid of losing revenue. In the end, the cost issue for both the existing teams and the new teams seems to be the most important factor in the entry of new entrants. For example, AMuS says that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff believes that F1 is the so-called Champions League and therefore only big brands belong in F1.

Cost and requirements of Porsche and Audi

Porsche and Audi do seem qualified enough as major brands to participate according to Wolff's criteria, but then why has it suddenly been quiet for so long? It seems to be due to the fact that Audi will only participate in 2026 if electric cars are built. Porsche has a requirement to work with synthetic fuel. In addition, it is also not clear whether another team will have to be bought over or whether the brands might just enter into a partnership with an existing team and develop an engine.

AMuS does report that there is a possibility that Volkswagen is actually too late financially to enter F1 and that it is currently no longer profitable. This is because teams have increased in value significantly in recent years, and the sport itself has also become more popular. It would have been a lot easier in 2020 to make a deal with a team or to buy one. A deal has to be done before the new rule changes in 2026, so ideally everything would be in place before 2024. According to an insider, that is precisely what is difficult for Volkswagen; because the group is so large, decision-making is very slow.

Audi/McLaren and Porsche/Red Bull

A deal between Audi and McLaren and Porsche and Red Bull seems to be on the cards. These reports are just not confirmed yet. Given the arguments presented by AMuS, a partnership with another team seems to be the most obvious choice for Volkswagen. Former F1 driver and Porsche ambassador Robert Doornbos thinks that a partnership between Porsche and Red Bull would be good and would probably give Max Verstappen a new title.