New teammate for Verstappen through partnership with Porsche?

Porsche and Audi will make their entrance into Formula 1 from 2026 and will reportedly partner with an existing F1 team. In doing so, Volkswagen has set a goal of looking at German talent.

Porsche and Audi get in

It was announced on Monday that Audi and Porsche have finally decided to enter Formula 1 from 2026. Herbert Diess, the CEO of Volkswagen, confirmed this in a YouTube video of the German brand. In that video, however, he also revealed an important objective for the two brands.

Porsche and Audi will both become part of an existing team. Porsche has been linked to Red Bull Racing for years and Audi is now said to be the closest to a deal with Sauber. In the case of Porsche, it would be a partnership with Red Bull Powertrains, whereas Audi was even looking at an engine of its own. From the leadership, however, another objective is added.

German F1 driver

Diess has in fact expressed that when Porsche and Audi enter the race, they will look to place a German driver in each team. At Red Bull, that would mean that Max Verstappen would have a new teammate from Germany starting in 2026. Also at Sauber (the current Alfa Romeo), space should then be made for one German driver.

How realistic that goal remains is to be seen. Currently, there are two German drivers active in F1, one of which (Sebastian Vettel) will probably not be active in 2026. Mick Schumacher is the other and he does have quite a future ahead of him. As a Ferrari junior, however, he will not make the switch to Audi or Porsche just like that. For the time being it is still a matter of conjecture, but the wish has already been expressed by the Volkswagen Group.