There have been large speculations for the last few months over the fact that a number of companies under the Volkswagen group will be potentially bidding to get their cars into the Formula 1 circuit next year. Porsche was the company with the highest probability to join Formula One. Audi and Volkswagen were also not left far behind and were also on the likely list to join the prestigious racing event. But now a new set of rumors are doing the rounds. The chances of VW joining the Formula One have gradually deemed with time but they are tipped to join the Le Mans program. Porsche is leading the list here as well.
The move away from Formula 1 towards the Le Mans program is quite justified for the German auto maker Porsche on many counts given their 918 RSR concept car to the various racing programs on the 911 as well. Formula 1 on the other hand would have required much more money to be invested and their street cars would have required heavy modifications for entering that sport segment.
But there is other good news as well for the Volkswagen Group with news surfacing that F1 body is going to change the engine rules in the racing year 2013 to a turbocharged 1.6-liter four cylinder power plant, something that would make it more eligible for even street cars to participate. This in turn is more likely to help Volkswagen than Porsche. But in any way or the other VW and Audi are expected to be in the F1 fever any time now. And we don’t expect them to be mundane beside the Ferraris and the BMWs.
If Porsche is going to participate in the Le Mans program then it will have to balance itself and maintain a good relation with cousin auto making company Audi who are currently leaders in the sport in the prototype category. Hence a GT-class entry for Porsche is going to be more likely. But at this point this is more than just a rumor. Porsche may enter any category that they think they can dominate. We hope they’ll rule the race tracks just like they have ruled the streets.
Source: motorauthority
1 comment
Porsche like being the big fish in the little Le Mans pond, they’re terrified they’ll be humiliated in F1 like they were the last time they supplied engines. The Porsche powered Footwork cars were so slow they dumped the Porsche engine in favour of Ford power.
Porsche just don’t have the technical expertise to compete in top level motor sport any more.