F1 News: Formula 1 receives influx of interest from several big manufacturers
Formula 1 has several manufacturers knocking on the door ahead of the 2026 regulation changes, with the sport experiencing a huge wave of demand and interest.
It would be inaccurate to suggest that F1 has ever been a small or unpopular Championship, consistently boasting tens of millions of viewers every race for several decades.
However, all metrics are unanimous in showing the growth F1 has experienced in the last two years, resulting in manufacturers looking to ride the wave and compete on the grid.
According to Stefano Domenicali, several outfits have expressed serious interest in joining Formula 1 as a new team.
There is more encouraging news on this front, with Andretti showing cautious optimism about their discussions with the FIA and chances of entering in 2024.
Further developments have emerged regarding the manufacturers interested in Formula 1, with all the names listed enjoying significant financial strength and market recognition.
Per AMuS, the following names are evaluating their prospects in F1: Ford, Hyundai, Porsche and even Honda.
These manufacturers will all have different objectives in the sport, with some hoping to join as engine suppliers whilst others are content to settle in a lesser role.
Ford, for example, is understood to be exploring financial and marketing opportunities with Red Bull - as opposed to any technical partnership.
The extent of Ford's investment in Formula 1 will be limited to a rebrand of the Red Bull engine.
Hyundai, conversely, is not expected to enter Formula 1 in any capacity before the 2027 season. However, Hyundai's long-term interest in the series is to be taken seriously.
Their most likely course of action will be to investigate the feasibility of an engine programme, although this is still far away.
Cyril Abiteboul, former Renault F1 boss, has recently joined Hyundai Motorsport as team principal.
Whilst there is nothing even close to concrete on this front, it is worth watching this space.
Predicting the future is always problematic, especially in a sport as dynamic as Formula 1.
With that said, it doesn't seem unrealistic that more names will declare themselves as interested in F1 moving forward.