Porsche, Audi, and F1 are reportedly becoming nervous about the possibility of disrupting Volkswagen’s 2026 F1 entry plan.
Behind the scenes, the FIA is under pressure and the details of the next all-new engine rule, which is already significantly behind, need to be finally announced.
Formula One Management, owned by Liberty Media, is seeking to vote for regulations on the last day of July. After that, both Audi and Porsche have a 15-day grace period to submit their 2026 F1 entry.
But Toto Wolff, the head of the Mercedes F1 team, is wondering why he’s in such a hurry.
“Regulations are constantly changing in our business, so we can’t rely on them to make such decisions,” Toto Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport.
“Especially because we are making big concessions to them, we can expect decisions from newcomers.”
It is now clear that Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault are demanding new restrictions on bench testing of F1 engines. F1 managing director Ross Brawn sees it as a blatant delay tactic.
“There is a cost limit so you don’t have to worry about the number of hours in the test bench,” Ross Brawn said.
“If you want to invest more money there, you have to save elsewhere.”
Existing F1 engine makers reportedly want to regulate the material of engine pistons as steel, and Porsche and Audi are promoting aluminum.
Mattia Binotto denies that Ferrari and its current rivals are simply trying to make the Volkswagen brand as difficult as possible.
“I think we need to be clear,” said Mattia Binotto, Ferrari’s F1 team representative.
“I’m very positive about Audi and Porsche joining F1 and I think I could do anything to make sure they were happy.”
“We have abolished MGU-H. It may not be the best choice for us, but we did it just to help them join F1.”
Mattia Binotto argues that the delay in regulation is simply because it is “not ready yet.”
“There are still open points, and those open points need to be addressed, discussed and agreed upon anyway,” said Mattia Binotto.
Category: Category: F1 / Volkswagen / Audi / Porsche