Fritz Enzinger, the new man in charge of Volkswagen’s motorsport program, has been coy on his plans for the future of the company, as speculation of a possible Formula 1 return with Porsche continues.
The German brand pulled out of the World Endurance Championship last year as part of a reshuffle in its motorsport activities, which will see Porsche join the Formula E grid in 2019, the same time as F1 champions Mercedes.
However, it is understood Porsche has been developing a separate hybrid engine for racing activities and was involved in the discussions last year to shape F1 engine rules from 2021 onwards.
Confirming Enzinger in his new role, a VW statement revealed he will be “assessing the current portfolio of works commitments and customers’ sports programs in all disciplines and their long-term orientation.
“The objective will be to align the programs in such a way that they reflect the individual positioning of the VW Group brands and allow each brand to demonstrate its individual strengths,” he continued.
“[This will include] organising the use of highly efficient internal combustion engines, hybrid solutions and pure electric powertrains in motorsports.”
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Enzinger’s promotion does seem to increase the chances of a future F1 return, as his predecessor Wolfgang Duerheimer was against such a move citing the high costs and concerns over leadership in the sport, though his comments came prior to Liberty Media’s takeover.
Other brands are also weighing up the potential with Aston Martin starting initial work on a concept engine and also considering a partnership with Cosworth, who have acknowledged their interest in the new engine regulations too.
