Friday 17th December 2021
Entry of Audi or Porsche?
Formula 1 attracts Volkswagen with rule change
With the abolition of an expensive but unimportant part of the Formula 1 engine for road vehicles, the World Motorsport Federation FIA hopes to convince new manufacturers to join. And the Volkswagen Group is obviously looking very closely – a Porsche could be rolling to the starting line in just a few years.
The biggest technical hurdle falls, Formula 1 becomes cheaper, simpler – and also attracts Volkswagen with new regulations. The framework conditions of the new set of rules approved at a meeting of the FIA world motor sport association are an invitation from the premier class to interested manufacturers such as the VW Group. The simplification of the hybrid drives and a stronger weighting of the electric motor are at the core of the new concept, which is to take effect from 2026.
One of the most important measures: The MGU-H energy recovery system will be abolished. This generates electrical energy from the heat of the combustion gases, but it is extremely complex and expensive to develop. Preserving the MGU-H would also have had a deterrent effect on Volkswagen, especially since the technology is hardly relevant for the construction of road cars. Their abolition is therefore also to be seen as a concession to VW.
The car manufacturer from Wolfsburg with its brands Audi and Porsche is said to have a strong interest in entering Formula 1. “The value of Formula 1 in terms of marketing, fan base and PR is undisputed. Compared to other series, Formula 1 is extremely good,” said Porsche Motorsport Director Thomas Laudenbach recently.
Mercedes: “A lot of money, blood and sweat”
The premier class is trying to lower the entry barrier. The already active manufacturers shouldn’t have too much of a lead. It must be possible for newcomers to “enter on a competitive level,” said the FIA. How great this immediate competitiveness will be is likely to remain the subject of further discussion. Existing manufacturers such as Mercedes do not want to lose the advantage of the hard and expensive experience.
“Formula 1 is the Champions League. And nobody can expect to get into the Champions League and reach the final in the first year and take the trophy home with them,” said Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff. Mercedes has been around for a long time, “and we have invested a lot of money, blood and sweat. And we also had problems at the beginning. That also applies to Renault and Honda.”
The same applies to the established ones: a 1.6-liter combustion engine with six cylinders is to be used. The output of the electric drive is expected to increase to 350 kW (475 hp), which means it will almost triple. In addition, an upper budget limit should also apply to engine development in the future. A more detailed version of the regulations for the new engines, which are to be operated with “100 percent sustainable fuels” from 2026, will now be developed and presented again to the World Motorsport Council at the beginning of 2022. The development will be closely followed in Wolfsburg.