F1 News: Why Porsche's Red Bull negotiations fell apart

Porsche's F1 dream appears to be over.

After months of speculation about Porsche's interest in joining forces with Red Bull, the German brand found itself unable to secure an agreement. 

Considering the magnitude of the Porsche name, there was great excitement about the possibility of their introduction to Formula 1 as an engine supplier. 

However, this anticipation was met with the harsh reality of Porsche's position in its negotiations with Red Bull - this being that Porsche had little to offer. 

On paper, of course, the iconic Porsche brand seems an attractive proposition to any F1 team. 

The issue for Porsche was that they were not negotiating with any F1 team - they were approaching the reigning World Champions. 

Not only that, but Red Bull has proven - for over a decade now - capable of consistently fighting for wins, irrespective of any difficulties with engine manufacturers. 

Red Bull also has the luxury of choosing from several options for its power units in the upcoming 2026 regulation changes. 

The Austrian team has already diverted significant resources into Red Bull Powertrains, but there is also the possibility of again working with Honda. 

Considering that Red Bull is a proven entity in F1, Porsche faced the mammoth task of demonstrating what it could offer. 

Ultimately, this was relatively little. 

Perhaps the most important aspect in negotiations was Porsche's demands to Red Bull, which reportedly included a 50% stake in the team. 

As previously mentioned, given that Red Bull is one of F1's most successful teams, requesting for such a sizable amount of the team seems somewhat disconnected from reality. 

Red Bull is already one of F1's most well-oiled machines, so it seems laughable they would consider relinquishing such equity. 

Whilst engine suppliers are crucial in Formula 1, Porsche would struggle to secure 50% of Red Bull's team even if their engines were the best in the sport. 

On this point, the performance of Porsche's engine is a completely unknown quantity. 

Although Honda eventually reached F1 success, this was only after years of failure and poor performance with McLaren. 

The key point here is that Porsche's net impact on Red Bull could have negatively affected the team's results. 

Porsche remains a giant name and brand, but in the cut-throat world of Formula 1, that is not enough.