Red Bull's Horner welcomes Porsche and Audi talks to join the grid

Red Bull Racing CEO Christian Horner welcomed the possibility of Porsche and Audi entering Formula 1 races, saying it was “logical” for his team to hold discussions with the German car makers. 

“I think it’s fantastic that they’re talking about coming into Formula 1,” Horner, who’s also the Red Bull team principal, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “They’re iconic brands — particularly Porsche. It would be logical to hold conversations with them after declaring their intent to enter the sport.”

Horner doesn’t see any new entrants getting into Formula 1 until 2026, so taking on an existing franchise would be the only way in for a new party until then. Last month, Volkswagen AG said Porsche was close to a deal to enter into Formula 1 while sister brand Audi’s separate push was less advanced.

The company’s supervisory board backed a plan for the luxury-car brands to potentially join the competition as early as 2026, when Formula 1 intends to switch to synthetic fuels as part of an effort to become carbon neutral by the end of the decade. The change in technology is a unique opportunity to start competing in the franchise that’s been dominated by Mercedes. 

VW CEO Herbert Diess said last month that with the growing popularity of Formula 1 in the US and China, entering the sport would allow both companies to boost sales. 

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