Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the deal with Porsche won’t get underway until the future F1 rules are clear.
Last week it came to light that Porsche will acquire a 50 percent stake in Red Bull Technologies, the company that produces the chassis of Red Bull Racing. But Christian Horner says the deal cannot go any further until the future rules of Formula 1 are clear.
“There is a healthy dialogue with Porsche and I think it’s great that companies like Porsche and Audi are taking Formula 1 seriously,” he said. “But there are some major objections that need to be lifted before it can even come close to progress.”
“It is mainly about what the final technical, sporting and financial rules for the power source will be. Will they be fair and equitable to the newcomers against the current rulers? So that is the first piece of the puzzle that has yet to be put in place.”
“I know the FIA is working hard on that and hopefully we’ll see that in the coming weeks. At that point, of course, we can sit down and talk further with the guys from Porsche.”
Mercedes and Ferrari have already announced that they will not intentionally thwart the negotiations in order to put a stop to Porsche. Horner, for his part, thinks much will depend on how attractive the new rules will be to new constructors from 2026 and despite all the reports from last week, he also says they are still in the negotiation phase.
“There are still so many restrictions based on the regulations that are the fundamental part.”
“Red Bull has demonstrated its commitment to Formula 1, its longevity in the sport as initially as a sponsor, then as a team owner, then as a dual team owner and then as a promoter with a circuit and so on,” he said. “I think everything we’re looking at is very much focused on the long term. We are not looking for a short term solution.”