911 Carrera

Make
Porsche
Segment
Coupe

At a media round table event with Porsche executives recently, following the official opening of an eFuel pilot plant in Chile, Porsche admitted it is still looking at an F1 entry for when the new regulations come into effect in 2026.

Porsche has been working on eFuels, or synthetic fuel, for the last few years, with the pilot plant in Punta Arenas being the first step towards making this a reality. The small plant will generate around 34,000 gallons of carbon-neutral gasoline in its first year of operation before ramping up to 14.5 million gallons annually by 2024 and 145 million gallons by 2027. When asked if one of the intentions was to fuel a factory Porsche F1 car with Porsche-branded synthetic fuel from 2026, the answer was positive.

"We still are, let me say, looking for opportunities, but this is something still open if you look [at] fuel," said Porsche's board member in charge of research and development, Michael Steiner. "Formula 1 already announced that by 2026 [the sport] will also go in the direction of E-fuel. So this is a significant movement that we appreciate very much."

While it's no confirmation that Porsche has secured a spot on the grid for 2026, it shows the brand is still interested. F1's synthetic fuel ambitions aligning with Porsche's is a massive draw to get the automaker into the top-flight motorsport division.

Other brands, such as BMW, have denied seeking entry into F1, with BMW M's CEO Frank van Meel stating that F1's commitment to combustion is at odds with BMW's electrification goals. Earlier this year, when speaking at the BMW M Fest at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa, van Meel said, "We are in a transition to electromobility. Formula 1 is planning to start with a [synthetically-fuelled race car] in '26. We do not want to wait that long [for green mobility]."

He said that the brand wants to go racing in an electric fashion. "At the end of this decade, we want to find a solution for purely electric racing," declared van Meel. "So that's why we said LMDh is the right concept. Because we are starting right now."

It remains to be seen whether Porsche will be on the F1 grid in 2026. The sports car manufacturer was previously close to a deal with Red Bull, even filing all the legal paperwork with the FIA and prepping a F1NALLY marketing campaign for the announcement. But the relationship broke down, leaving Porsche without a spot on the grid. Sister company Audi will partner with Sauber for 2026, while Red Bull has seen interest from other automotive manufacturers, the most recent rumor suggesting it will partner with Ford in the coming years.

We sincerely hope we do see Porsche in F1 again soon. The brand has enjoyed success in multiple motorsport disciplines in the past, and F1 would be a feather in the brand's cap. Until then, the eFuel will be used in Porsche 911s worldwide, both in the Mobil 1 Super Cup and at Porsche Experience Centers.