Toto Wolff Hopes German Manufacturer will Commit in 2021 F1 Season

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted that he would love to see Porsche join F1 in 2021. The well-known carmaker was last involved in F1 in 1991 as an engine supplier for the Footwork team.

Now, Porsche has been taking a keen interest in the sport’s latest technical discussions. The current engine specifications last until the end of 2020. Beyond that, Formula 1’s commercial rights holders Liberty are trying to come up with a blueprint for the future.

Porsche have not made any public commitments about returning to the sport however. But, it is possible that they will partner with a team like Red Bull or Williams.

If the rumours have an element of truth in them, Porsche could be a major rival to Mercedes. However, Wolff confessed that he would be relishing the challenge.

“The more we can fight on our little playground, in the sandpit, the more we enjoy it,” Wolff said.

“I guess that Porsche’s interested and looking at the environment, [but] it’s not quite clear how,” he said. “They are sitting on the table and giving their input.”

Porsche’s decision hinges on the details of Liberty’s plans for the future of Formula 1. The current teams expecting to hear a few more details of those plans this week at a Strategy Group meeting.

“They are not cast in stone, but I guess next week in the Strategy Group we are going to hear a little bit more,” said Wolff.

“It’s still not agreed between what’s been in the table in the past sessions and all of the engine manufacturers,” he added. “So there are quite some tough discussions ahead, I guess.”

Mercedes hopes to retain some of the hybrid technology, to keep F1 on par with the worldwide shift to electric cars and energy efficiency.

“For us it’s important that the technology message is still there, in efficiency,” Wolff insisted. “‘Efficiency equals performance’ is important when the whole world moves into green and electricity.”

“It’s not something that we want to do. It needs to stay on a very high performance and efficiency level.”

“It needs to be a different shade, and that is important for all us engine manufacturers, and not be a standard part.”