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NUERBURG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 11: Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko talk on the grid before the F1 Eifel Grand Prix at Nuerburgring in Nuerburg, Germany. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
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NUERBURG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 11: Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko talk on the grid before the F1 Eifel Grand Prix at Nuerburgring in Nuerburg, Germany. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
For the past six years, various reports have been emerging regarding the Volkswagen group’s entry into F1. While the previous ones have been through one of its own subsidiaries, Porsche, the recent rumors are hinting at a possible partnership with Red Bull.
And speaking on Red Bull’s house broadcaster ‘ServusTV’, consultant Helmut Marko did not deny the rumors but nor did he confirm them, “We keep talking. But nothing is fixed.”
Regarding possible collaborations, Red Bull has been speaking to a lot of companies. Once, they even had brief discussions with Mercedes, as Toto Wolff had revealed.
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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB16 during the Red Bull Racing RB16 launch at Silverstone Circuit in Northampton, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
As for the Volkswagen group, they have been looking to enter the scene for quite a while. From 2025, aided by the more flexible FIA regulations, they could be looking to start either of their subsidiaries, Audi, Lamborghini, or Porsche, on the grid.
A report by BBC also brought the likes of Williams and McLaren into play as possible partners for the Volkswagen Group. But a collaboration with Red Bull looks more likely because of the common nationality connection.
Dietrich Mateschitz, Helmut Marko and Fritz Enzinger (VP, Volkswagen), all three are Styrian. And they could hash out the finer details without any outside involvement if they genuinely want to shape their future together.
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JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN – JANUARY 30: Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz (R) talks with Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner (L) during day three of Formula One Winter Testing at the Circuito de Jerez on January 30, 2014, in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)
Engine self-sufficiency of Red Bull attracts possible investors
Another knock on Williams and McLaren is that they are customer teams. On the other hand, Red Bull could supply them with their own in-house engines from 2025. Hence, it makes the partnership more fruitful for Volkswagen.
“The equipment is such that we will not only be able to carry out the maintenance of our engines ourselves from 2022, but we will also have the technical options to be able to develop a new engine ourselves,” said Marko.
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(Quotes have been translated via Google)
“This agreement represents a significant step for Red Bull in its Formula 1 journey" – Christian Horner
Full story 👇 https://t.co/f33l8ym7wC
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 15, 2021
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The new regulations from 2025 will make the power units much simpler and cheaper. They will incorporate environmentally friendly elements like e-fuels and e-turbo. Presumably, these are also integral for Volkswagen. Now it is up to to the FIA to make the rules attractive enough for gigantic manufacturers like these to enter the F1 scene.
Read More – F1 2021: How the Rules & Regulations are Changing Compared to 2020
