Mercedes says it would be happy for Porsche to return to Formula One when the new regulations come into effect in 2021.
Porsche has been one of the numerous automakers engaged in discussions about the sports future engine regulations, which call for simpler powertrains. The German brand was last involved in Formula One in 1991 as the engine supplier of Footwork Arrows, although their best results (two Constructors’ and three Drivers’ championships) were achieved powering McLaren in the 1980s, when they were funded by, and rebranded as, TAG units.
Speaking to Sky F1 about the potential of Porsche joining the sport in 2021, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his squad would welcome the new challenger.
“The more we can fight, on our little playground – in the sandpit – the more we enjoy it. I guess that Porsche’s interested, and looking at the environment, it’s not quite clear how. They are sitting on the table and giving their input,” he said.
Speaking to Autosport previously, Porsche said it wouldn’t return to F1 with its own team but rather as a partner of an existing team, potentially as an engine supplier or simply a name sponsor.
Porsche, Ferrari and Mercedes in F1? Yes please
Discussions about the future of F1 powertrains are still ongoing. A number of teams, including Mercedes, want the engines to remain extremely advanced and efficient, while others have called for simpler yet more exciting engines.
“For us it’s important that the technology message is still there, in efficiency. Because ‘efficiency equals performance’ is important when the whole world moves into green and electricity, and we, for historic nostalgia, move 20 years back.
“It’s not something that we want to do. It needs to stay on a very high performance and efficiency level. It needs to be a different shade, and that is important for all us engine manufacturers, and not be a standard part,” Wolff said.
Recent reports suggest that the FIA agrees with Mercedes and will retain its focus on technology and efficiency rather than employing cost-cutting measures. Because of this, Aston Martin says it probably won’t be joining F1 as an engine supplier.