Matthias Müller, who is the new chairman of the Porsche board, said the company’s plans in the field of motorsport.
Müller said that in the LMP1 category there are two classes and two brands that belong to one concern (Volkswagen) – this is Audi and Porsche. And we will not allow the manifestation of the struggle between them. That is why we are discussing the option in which one of the brands will go to F1, and the other will remain in LMP1.
Apparently, it was Porsche to F1, because Audi’s leadership has repeatedly said that they were not interested in F1. In the first half of the sixties, the Porsche factory team took part in Formula 1, but they became very expensive for the company, and she had to refuse to participate in them.
In 1983 there was a successful return of the brand as a supplier of engines. Cooperating with the McLaren team, they won two designers. Another return took place in 1991 and turned out to be unsuccessful, as the contract with the Footwork team (Arrows was torn during the season.
If the next return to Formula 1 is approved, then the Porsche brand is expected to set its own team again, but will supply engines. Wolfgang Hatz, Vice President of the VW Group Motor Engineering Department, negotiated with FIA on the introduction of 4-cylinder turbo engines in F1.
The Williams team is considered the most likely candidate for the role of the Porsche client.