Porsche and Audi have never been closer to entering Formula 1, as parent company Volkswagen Group recently confirmed that plans to enter in 2026 are in a “final evaluation phase”.

It’s an exciting development for F1, which has made a conscious effort to persuade German manufacturers to engage in discussions on the sport’s new engine rules for 2026, with formal ratification of these rules set to be the final hurdle before they fully commit.

But how exactly might the presence of Porsche and Audi, who approach their F1 endeavors in very different ways, manifest?

Here we evaluate the options available to brands…

red bull

In a sport full of ill-kept secrets, a partnership between Red Bull and Porsche may be the worst of them all.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this has been on the cards for years, only the aftermath of the emissions scandal is preventing it from happening already and it seems the time is now.

But it may come as a surprise – perhaps even disappointment – to learn that Porsche’s involvement is likely to be little more than a glorified branding deal, at least initially.

On the Porsche side, a partnership seems to be paramount, with German publication Auto Motor und Sport reporting that rather than seeking team ownership, the Weissach-based company wants both ownership and influence.

On the technical side, it is reported that Red Bull’s powertrains division would build the internal combustion engine and would use their knowledge and expertise to support Porsche’s development of the electric ancillaries.

Although the engine rules of F1 will change in 2026 – with the jettisoning of the MGU-H and the MGU-K delivering significantly more power, as well as a switch to fully sustainable fuel – the basic architecture of the powerplant will almost certainly remain unchanged same.

Which, given where Red Bull came from and where it’s going, potentially raises an interesting philosophical question: when does a Honda become a Red Bull Powertrain and when does an RBPT become a Porsche?

Put another way, will a future Red Bull-Porsche F1 car still have traces of Honda DNA in its heart? With Honda itself reportedly already evaluating an F1 return for 2026, the potential for IP complications is evident.

If and when the VW Group‘s entry into Formula 1 is finally confirmed, one can assume that a Red Bull-Porsche announcement will follow quickly.

Porsche made sure of that, but where will Audi end up?

McLaren

McLaren-Mercedes may be a name that rolls off the tongue, but the words of Ron Dennis still linger in Woking today.

The former boss was absolutely adamant – both before and during McLaren’s unsuccessful partnership with Honda – that any team with serious ambitions to win the world championship in modern times simply had to have a works engine deal.

McLaren’s recovery from the darkest days of the Honda disaster has been mighty impressive, but nearly a decade into F1’s hybrid era, there’s nothing to suggest Dennis’ assessment was wrong.

Enter Audi?

Unlike Porsche, Audi is said to be determined to arrive in F1 with a powerplant they can truly call their own – albeit based on an engine Porsche built when they were close to an entry in 2017.

Reports of a deal – either a partnership or an acquisition – between McLaren and Audi have lingered since last autumn and where it currently stands depends on who you believe.

Ahead of the recent Australian Grand Prix, a report from Automobilwoche claimed both parties are close to signing a letter of intent after Audi upped its offer to €650m for an initial stake in McLaren’s F1 team.

Meanwhile, AMUS has suggested the deal is effectively dead as McLaren is unwilling to sell and is instead in dialogue with BMW as a potential partner.

Watch this space…

Williams

There is clear synergy between the VW Group and the current regime at Williams, whose CEO and team principal Jost Capito spearheaded the Red Bull-sponsored VW team’s crushing dominance of the World Rally Championship between 2013-16.

Since Capito’s arrival, it has at times seemed like Williams has found himself in the middle of a love triangle – current motor partner Mercedes pulling on one side, Red Bull/VW company pulling on the other – never more than when it came to George To find Russell’s replacement in 2022.

The decision to favor Red Bull reserve driver Alex Albon over Mercedes subsidiary Nyck de Vries was a clear sign for some that Williams’ allegiance was changing and the team positioned itself to welcome a VW marque with open arms .

There is constant talk that Audi may be put off by Williams’ history of working with major manufacturers, with the team’s reluctance to cede control to BMW often cited as the main reason for the end of that partnership in late 2005.

But remember, those were the days when Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head still ruled the show.

With the sale of the Williams family almost two years ago, that resistance to fresh perspectives and interesting ideas — that almost self-injurious stubbornness to do things the traditional Williams way — certainly no longer exists.

If so, you might as well ask why you appoint Capito?

Alfa Romeo Clean

If there are obvious links between VW and Williams, the same can be said of Sauber, which some see as the leading candidate to be acquired by Audi at this stage.

The Sauber wind tunnel was used to develop Audi’s LMP1 car during its highly successful period in endurance racing. A key figure in this prototype program? None other than Jan Monchaux, current Technical Director at Sauber.

A takeover of Sauber would potentially be a simpler transaction for Audi compared to McLaren and Williams, not only cheaper and less complicated, but also more freedom for a complete rebranding of a team that has raced under the BMW and Alfa Romeo banner for a century.

As a BMW between 2006 and 2009, the team came closest to realizing its potential, winning memorable in Canada in 2008 but, much to Robert Kubica’s dismay, a lasting title fight never materialised.

The team, heavily linked with a takeover by IndyCar giant Andretti in 2021, has spent much of the past decade in survival mode following BMW’s sudden departure and the innate potential at Hinwil, a fabulous facility, remains largely untapped.

However, an acquisition of Sauber would present Audi with the age-old challenge of running a racing team from Switzerland and convincing the best people in their respective fields to live and work there.

From Sauber’s point of view, the rebirth as an Audi – after bankruptcy was expected not too long ago – would be like winning the lottery.

Aston-Martin

The world is apparently not enough for Lawrence Stroll who, having bought an F1 team and a luxury car brand, appears interested in completing the set with an engine.

According to AMUS, Stroll recently joined the queue of potential suitors for Audi after his two previous powertrain proposals failed to materialize.

Stroll’s original plan for Aston Martin to produce its own engine was scrapped after Red Bull Powertrains began siphoning off much of the talent in the paddock, including up to 50 engineers from competitor Mercedes.

His second bright idea was to buy, or at least invest in, Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, with Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius reportedly receptive to the prospect before that didn’t materialize either.

With Mercedes owning a 20 percent stake in road car company Aston Martin, Stroll’s F1 team seems inseparable from the three-pointed star.

It was therefore curious that when reports emerged linking the team with Audi over the Australian GP weekend, an Aston Martin spokesman told Autosport that while they were happy with Mercedes, they were “actively exploring options”.

Since rescuing the team from administration in 2018, building a new factory and making a series of deeply impressive appointments, Stroll has made huge investments for Aston Martin with the aim of emerging as a title challenger in the near future.

But with Aston’s progress stalling at the moment, a cynic might suggest that an agreement with Audi could present an attractive exit strategy for Stroll.