Porsche built 2021 engine before F1 interest diminished

Fritz Enzinger

Porsche both built and tested an engine for the 2021 Formula 1 season before its interest in joining the world championship evaporated.

With new technical regulations set to be introduced in just under two years' time, a number of leading car manufacturers showed interest in joining F1 in some form, including Porsche.

Porsche will join the Formula E championship for the 2019-20 season, opting for the all-electric series when parent Volkswagen Audi Group cancelled its venture in the World Endurance Championship.

Fritz Enzinger, Porsche's head of motorsport, told Autosport: "In 2017 there were signals from Formula 1 that the regulations were to be changed and that energy recovery from the exhaust gases was no longer required," he said.

"As of 2017, Porsche was a member of the FIA Manufacturers Commission and was involved in the discussions about the future drive strategy in Formula 1 from 2021 and represented at the meetings.

"On the one hand, we took part in these working groups. On the other hand, the guys developed a six-cylinder for the WEC in parallel.

"Of course, we thought about what would have to change if the engine were to be used in Formula 1. Such things can be done in two ways."

With talks of F1 getting rid of the MGU-H for the 2021 season, Enzinger said that developing the engine was an "interesting" concept for a super sports car.

"At the end of 2017, we received a concrete order from our parent company to further develop a highly efficient six-cylinder engine, despite its LMP1 withdrawal," he said.

"Not only on paper but actually as hardware and with the idea that this engine will be put to the test in 2019. That was the order from the board to us."