by H. Mayor – photo: prosche.com | Only the most veteran amongst us will remember the prestigious Porsche brand competing in F1 with their very own scuderia. It was back in the sixties, over approximately thirty Grand Prix, and with not particularly brilliant results. After came a stage in the eighties where they got involved as engine suppliers. Now, the German brand is looking to join F1 again as a manufacturer but not until 2021, a key year were regulations are set to change completely.

“F1 could be one of the right places (..) and is always a good topic to think about”, explained to Autosport Lutz Meschke, vice-president of the Porsche Managing Board. The German brand’s directives were also present during the intense backstage negotiations that took place last weekend in Monza. Currently Porsche takes part in endurance competitions and they are scheduled to enter Formula E in 2019. They also work close together with the FIA to define the new regulatory frame for engines from 2021.

The new regulations

2021 is set in the calendar as the date when the current hybrid V6 engines will be replaced for new power units which, in principle, are to be simpler and more inexpensive. This is one of the reasons why Porsche is considering a comeback: “Absolutely, costs need to be cut and this is a good way to attain that objective”.

And in case Porsche decides to embark in this new venture there are number of possible clients already being considered; perhaps Williams or Red Bull, with whom Porsche has had a previous working relationship or even McLaren with whom they have also partnered in the past as engine suppliers during their last spell in F1 back in the eighties.