The exodus continues, following Audi’s departure from top-flight World Endurance Championship competition in the LMP1-Hybrid category at the end of last year; now, Porsche is expected to follow suit, with its departure said to come at the end of this year, according to an Autocar report.
The Weissach-based outfit returned to top-level competition in 2014 before claiming its first comeback win the year after, followed by another in 2016 to set up for a three-peat earlier this year.
Like sister company Audi, Porsche is rumoured to make a similar move from WEC LMP1 into Formula E, which leaves Toyota as the sole, factory-backed LMP1-Hybrid class team remaining for next year. Toyota joined the premier endurance racing class in 2012.
Either Audi or Porsche are expected to make an entry into Formula 1 pending approval from parent company Volkswagen, likely for the 2021 when engine regulations are revised, according to Autocar. The fully-electric, single-seater racing series is becoming increasingly populated, with Audi set to join Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Porsche spends £250 million (RM1.4 billion) annually on its WEC programme, reports German outlet Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung. The Germans marque’s departure from the LMP1-Hybrid class will leave a very large gap in its budget allocation, and even with a planned Formula E entry.
The open-wheeler series’ mandate of a spec chassis could mean massive savings for Porsche since it won’t expend the same level of resource on design and manufacturing, though intensive development of electric powertrains will then be its primary focus.
“We are resolutely taking on the challenge of electric mobility. Even with solely battery-powered sports cars, Porsche is remaining true to its philosophy and offering our customers the sportiest and technologically most sophisticated model in this market segment,” said chairman of the executive board Oliver Blume of the Mission E concept, a direction Porsche appears to take on with its motorsport endeavours.
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Better join Formula 1 than Formula E!! FIA must reduce the ERS/Hybrid thing!!
It make no sense to join F1 and WEC anymore
Car companies are pouring money into R&D to develop electric cars to meet the “petrol and diesel ban” dateline set by some european countries… it will be just a matter of time for the rest of the world to set the ban dateline in the next few years..
Like it or not.. Petrol, Diesel and even Hybrid will be irrelevant in the next few decades
Maybe Toyota will finally win Le Mans….. but given their horrid luck, might even DNF.
Even if they won, it’d feel a bit hollow without Porsche to beat.
Only way for toyota to win anything is to create its own one make racing. Then toyota will come 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, ….
Lol….Jackie Chan’s car may win next year beating the Toyotas
JC will kungpow their cars! Deswai toyota need to make their own race. Just so they can have a winning feeling.
WEC should come out with electric base endurance race to keep itself relevant for the future..
This will allow car company to invest and innovate technology to improve electric car efficiency and battery life span.
This technology is vital for the future.
With that one point four billion saving. I’m okay. Go electric go