Ecclestone vows to facilitate Porsche F1 return

As speculation mounts regarding a potential grand prix comeback for one of the most iconic names in automotive history - Porsche - influential F1 commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone has lent the idea his full support
Saturday Practice, Bernie Ecclestone (GBR), President and CEO of Formula One Management
Saturday Practice, Bernie Ecclestone (GBR), President and CEO of Formula…
© PHOTO 4

F1 commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone has vowed to do 'whatever I can' to help support and engineer the return to the grand prix grid of one of the most iconic and evocative names in all of motorsport and automotive history - Porsche.

The last time Porsche featured at the highest level was when the German marque forged an ill-fated partnership with Footwork back in 1991 - a disastrous coupling that yielded no points and seven failures even to qualify over the six races contested, prior to a swift divorce as Footwork ditched Porsche for Hart.

The Volkswagen-owned manufacturer has since gone on to maintain its tremendous success story in sportscars, but is reputedly tempted by the idea of an F1 comeback should the engine regulations undergo a significant overhaul for 2013, as is widely anticipated, that would result in the introduction of 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged powerplants instead of the 2.4-litre V8 units used presently.

A number of leading figures from both Porsche and VW have dropped loaded hints recently that a return is up for very serious discussion - and as a fully-fledged team in its own right, too, rather than just an engine-supplier [see separate story - click here].

"It sounds absolutely great," Formula One Management (FOM) chief executive Ecclestone told German newspaper Bild. "Whatever I can do to make it happen, I will."

VW is expected to meet early in November to come to a decision, and Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice-President Norbert Haug agrees with Ecclestone that Porsche would be a welcome addition to the F1 field.

"I have no idea whether Porsche are going to come," the 57-year-old mused. "If they do, congratulations and all the best. If not, that's a shame."

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