Porsche abandons second factory Formula E team for Season 13

Porsche has abandoned plans to field a second factory team for Season 13 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Instead, the German manufacturer will supply and support a newly formed, independent customer outfit to maintain a six-car footprint in the upcoming GEN4 era.

Strategic Realignment Behind Factory Downscale

A Porsche spokesperson confirmed that the registration was made in consultation with Porsche Motorsport while outlining the strategic change.

“This is not a second Porsche factory team,” the spokesperson stated. “We have decided against fielding two additional cars as a factory operation. In doing so, motorsport is contributing to Porsche’s strategic realignment. As the applicant is an independent team, we cannot provide any further details.”

The move represents a notable U-turn from Porsche’s initial November 2025 announcement, which detailed plans to run four works cars out of its Weissach base. Persistent doubts had surrounded the second factory operation for months, especially after Mahindra driver Nyck de Vries claimed in August that the extra works programme would not materialise.

Maintaining a Six-Car Presence on the GEN4 Grid

If the FIA formally approves the late registration for “NewCo Formula E Team”, Porsche machinery will still make up a significant portion of the GEN4 grid. The German marque’s total presence would stand at six 975 RSE entries:

• Two works entries run directly by the factory team.
• Two customer cars operated by Cupra Kiro.
• Two customer cars entered by the mystery entrant.

This development follows major paddock shifts ahead of the new regulations, such as when Fortescue Zero acquired Penske Autosport to secure its own grid position.

The identity and driver line-up of the prospective new team remain unconfirmed. However, the application keeps hopes alive for a full 24-car, 12-team Formula E grid in Season 13. While securing a full field is a significant boost for the championship, quietly offloading a works programme to an independent customer raises questions about whether budget pressures are affecting Porsche’s GEN4 expansion plans.