New Volkwagen CEO Oliver Blume has confirmed that Porsche’s negotiations with Red Bull about a works Formula 1 collaboration from 2026 are still ongoing.
We reported this week that the deal is currently on hold, seemingly because Red Bull is concerned about the control it may lose by selling 50 percent of the title-winning team to Porsche.
Blume, who until now was the CEO of VW-owned Porsche, told Braunschweiger Zeitung newspaper that “no final decision has been made” about the F1 foray.
“Basically, we welcome the new regulations which allow significantly more electrification of the engines and the use of synthetic fuels,” he said.
“Porsche is in talks, but we haven’t made a final decision yet,” Blume insisted.
It is believed Red Bull is suddenly re-thinking the Porsche deal on the basis that current technical partner Honda may re-start its full works involvement in F1 for the new rules.
Recently, Red Bull and ‘Honda Racing Corporation’ (HRC) extended their current deal through the end of 2025, with HRC president Yasuharu Watanabe making a visit to the Belgian GP last weekend.
“I didn’t come for a special purpose,” he told as-web.jp.
However, full ‘Honda’ branding returned to Red Bull’s garage team gear recently, and Watanabe added: “We are discussing with Red Bull on a daily basis how to proceed in the future”.
(GMM)
