Currently reading: Porsche linked to F1 entry if e-fuels introduced, says report

Planned introduction of environmentally friendly synthetic fuels has renewed interest, reports BBC

Porsche would consider entering Formula 1 when new engine regulations are introduced in 2025 if environmentally friendly e-fuels are adopted, according to a report.

The German firm, part of the Volkswagen Group, has had a long interest in returning to F1 as an engine supplier. As exclusively reported by Autocar, the firm is understood to have even begun development work on an F1-specification 1.6-litre hybrid powertrain, which is set to be repurposed for a planned hypercar.

F1 bosses will introduce new engine regulations for the 2025 season. The technical details are still being determined by organisers, teams and interested manufacturers - which reportedly include Porsche.

F1 has committed to making e-fuels a central part of the rules to help the sport reduce its carbon footprint while retaining internal combustion engines. That has renewed interest in the category from Porsche, which is also investing heavily in the development of e-fuels for future performance road cars. 

Speaking to BBC Sport, Porsche Motorsport vice-president Fritz Enzinger said: “It would be of great interest if aspects of sustainability - for instance, the implementation of e-fuels - play a role in this.“Should these aspects be confirmed, we will evaluate them in detail within the Volkswagen Group and discuss further steps.

Enzinger added that Porsche was “observing” the development of the new regulations, as it did for “all relevant racing series around the world”.

Porsche currently runs a works team in the electric Formula E World Championship and has committed to building an LMDh hybrid hypercar that can compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours for the 2023 season.

Porsche has traditionally focused on endurance racing but has occasionally competed in F1. The firm’s sold win as a constructer came in the 1962 French Grand Prix, won by Dan Gurney in an 804. Porsche withdrew at the end of that season.

The firm's knowledge of building turbocharged engines led to an unofficial return to F1 in 1983, when it produced V6 units for McLaren, although these were badged TAG, since that firm paid the development costs. The Porsche-powered McLaren team won three drivers’ and two constructors’ titles between 1984 and 1986. 

Porsche returned as an engine supplied to the Footwork team in 1991 but, after a string of disastrous results, the team made a mid-season switch to customer Cosworth engines.

READ MORE

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Porsche to begin producing synthetic e-fuels in 2022

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Cobnapint 5 March 2021
'We've invented this fuel, now we need somewhere to burn it'
Ubberfrancis44 5 March 2021
Cobnapint wrote:

'We've invented this fuel, now we need somewhere to burn it'

 

Progress and development, amazing isn't it? Thankfully other alternatives, other than fully electrics, are being looked into.

shiakas 5 March 2021

Efuels are as 'environmentally friendly' as Formula1 transporting hundreds of tones of equipment all over the world every two weeks.  

Ubberfrancis44 5 March 2021
shiakas wrote:

Efuels are as 'environmentally friendly' as Formula1 transporting hundreds of tones of equipment all over the world every two weeks.  

Thas funny, and I would say Formula E does exactly the same, plus using obsolete diesel generators tp charge the cars occasionally.