Audi and Porsche interest thanks to F1s sustainability focus - Brawn

The Volkswagen Group’s interest in inward Formula 1 with the Audi and Porsche brands is in part due to the sustainability focus within the sport as it looks to the future, equal to F1’s managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn.

The next generation of power unit has been a inside topic when it comes to attracting new manufacturers, with VW joining the engine meetings and considering involvement from Porsche, Audi or plane both names. Speaking as the guest speaker opening day two of the RACER / EPARTRADE Online Race Industry Week, Brawn — who was heading straight into a meeting with the FIA — says the way F1 is looking at sustainable fuels is key to such interest.

“The meeting I’m going to now is part of the initiative for sustainability and how we leverage the intense competition in Formula 1 and shape it into a direction that can have some relevance for the future,” Brawn said. “We all know this massive environmental rencontre we’re all facing, but I know from my wits of Formula 1 that if you set the 10 teams a rencontre and make it a competitive challenge… So what we’re discussing is sustainable fuels.

“So in 2026 at the latest — and maybe plane older — you will have to race with a sustainable fuel, in other words a net stat zero fuel. So the way that fuel is made, is produced, has to be net stat zero. And this will be a plug in fuel that you would be worldly-wise to put into a road car, so it’s flipside weapon in the fight versus the environmental challenge.

“Electrification has its place, we believe sustainable fuels have their place. There’s a billion vehicles, getting onto two billion vehicles, on the road at the present time and you can’t get rid of them so unless you find something which can be unromantic to the vehicles you’re not going to have the impact that you want.

“And we believe Formula 1 can set an example of how a sustainable fuel can be created and used, and that’s a big thing we’re working on now. So sustainability and the assistance and solutions we can find for the environmental rencontre is the next phase of Formula 1.

“But that’s unquestionably why we’re seeing manufacturers take a much stronger interest in the sport considering they can see the value of that involvement, and it’s no secret to say Volkswagen with Porsche and Audi are having a very tropical squint at Formula 1 and that’s one of the reasons why they’re interested. And I think there’ll be more, so there’s no rest for the wicked I’m afraid!”