It has been reported by The Race that Porsche have ruled out a move to Formula 1 in 2026, after exploring all avenues to join the championship once the new engine regulations are introduced.
Following the German manufacturer’s decision, they are now set to focus on the current championships that they compete in, most notably, Formula E and the World Endurance Championship.
Porsche’s attempt to join the grid in 2026 was certainly a solid one, with the Germans having held discussions with both Red Bull and McLaren.
It was their negotiations with Red Bull which arguably led to many believing that they were destined for F1 in 2026; however, their demands were simply too much for the Austrians.
READ: Max Verstappen furious with Red Bull
Porsche reportedly demanded a significant stake in both Red Bull and McLaren during discussions, something both teams rejected to.
Some wondered if they were set to announce a deal with Williams during the winter break following a cryptic social media post, but it turned out to simply be a teaser for a new Porsche Motorsport Instagram account.
Porsche had planned to join the pinnacle of motorsport in 2026 alongside fellow Volkswagen-owned manufacturer Audi, who struck a deal to have a 75-percent controlling stake in Sauber from 2026 onwards.
Porsche simply wanted too much, with VW having also not been interested in entering a completely new team from scratch.
With Audi on the grid from 2026, VW will at least have a manufacturer on the grid, despite having fallen short of the ultimate goal.
F1 does remain an interest of Porsche’s; however, the likelihood is that they won’t attempt to join the grid again for at least a decade.
This is based off comments made by then-VW CEO Herbert Diess last year, where he explained that the only sensible time to join F1 is when there’s a “major rule change”.
READ: Lewis Hamilton mocked after 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
“You can’t catch up on that when you join a new team,” said Diess, as reported by The Race.
“You need five or 10 years to be among the front runners. In other words, you can only get onboard if you have a major rule change.
“That means you can decide now to do Formula 1 – or then probably not again for 10 years.”