Volkswagen mull entry into Formula One

The Volkswagen group that includes brands such as Lamborghini, Audi, Skoda and Porsche is considering an entry into Formula One as reported by German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche.

This was confirmed when HT contacted the group's head of motorsports communications, Stefan Moesser. "This happens every year," said Moesser. "Obviously the focus right now is on the World Rally Championship but we are considering F1 too." Moesser did, however, clarify that the comments of the VW group's head of motorsports Wolfgang Durheimer carried by the publication did not refer to the VW brand itself.

"If we were to enter F1, it could be with Audi or Porsche," said Moesser. "But the comments were in no way about the VW brand."

VW is currently most visible in single seat racing as an engine supplier for teams in the F3 Euroseries and British F3 Championship (where Narain Karthikeyan participated from 1998 to 2000). F3 is a stepping stone towards F1 and VW engines powered the cars of 15 of the 21 drivers that took part in the F3 Euroseries last year and also powered the car of the championship winning driver in the British F3 championship last year.

The change in F1's engine regulations in 2014 were seen as a green light for VW to step up its single seat motorsports involvement but the brand has so far been firm on its resistance to taking part in F1.