Porsche changes Formula E plans: New customer team replaces second factory squad

Major change to Porsche's Formula E programme: The manufacturer will not enter a second factory team after all next season. Instead, a previously unknown customer team has submitted a late application for Season 13 and intends to field two Porsche 975 RSE cars. Despite its strategic realignment, Porsche is therefore sticking to its plan of having a total of six cars on the Formula E grid in the Gen4 era.

As FE Notebook reported on Thursday evening, Porsche has changed its originally planned operating model for the Gen4 era. Instead of two additional factory cars, an independent team is set to field the two additional Porsche 975 RSE cars. The identity of the entity behind the project remains unknown.

Porsche confirmed the change to the publication. "It is correct that an additional team has applied to Formula E and intends to compete with two Porsche 975 RSE cars next season," a Porsche spokesperson told FE Notebook. "The application was submitted in consultation with Porsche Motorsport."

"This is not a second Porsche factory team. 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."

Porsche sticks to 6 Formula E cars despite change of plans

While Porsche has abandoned its originally announced second factory team, it has not abandoned the two additional cars. Alongside the two 975 RSE cars of the Porsche Formula E Team, Cupra Kiro will continue to field two Porsche-powered cars in the Gen4 era. If the new customer team is admitted as planned, a total of six Porsches would be represented on the Formula E grid.

Porsche acquired an additional team licence in November 2025 and announced that it would enter a second factory team from Season 13 onwards. Both factory teams were intended to be operated out of Weissach. Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach described the expansion at the time as an expression of the manufacturer's long-term commitment to Formula E.

The operating model was already at an advanced stage. Team Principal Florian Modlinger explained in March that Porsche intended to run its two factory teams within the same overall budget that had previously been allocated to its own team and the support of its customer teams. The second factory team was also intended to play a role in developing Porsche's own young drivers.

Those plans have now been rendered obsolete by the confirmed strategic realignment. Among the questions still unanswered is what impact the decision will have on personnel and drivers who had been earmarked for the additional factory team.

Mysterious "NewCo Formula E Team" submits late application

The timing of the decision is also noteworthy. According to information from FE Notebook, the project, provisionally designated "NewCo Formula E Team", was only submitted to the Formula E Commission for review on Thursday. According to the report, the team can now proceed with the registration process for Season 13.

Teams wishing to compete in the 2026/27 Formula E season had to submit their applications to the promoter by September 14. The applications were subsequently submitted to the FIA, which decided on the selection of competitors. Under the regulations, motorsport's governing body was required to publish the list of selected competitors by September 18 at the latest.

However, this does not yet constitute the final entry list for Season 13. The selected teams must subsequently complete the actual registration process. The identity of the entity behind "NewCo Formula E Team" is therefore likely to remain unknown for the time being.

Doubts over second Porsche team persisted for months

For several months, there had already been doubts over whether Porsche would actually implement its originally announced operating model. Nyck de Vries in particular caused a stir in early August when the Dutchman publicly stated that, to his knowledge, Porsche's second factory team would not happen. At the time, however, Porsche had not confirmed any change to its plans.

It is now clear that de Vries was correct, at least as far as the second factory team was concerned. The two additional Porsches are still set to arrive - but under a completely different operating model.

If "NewCo Formula E Team" successfully completes the registration process, Porsche would be represented by six 975 RSE cars in the first Gen4 season: two factory cars and four customer cars split between Cupra Kiro and the new team. This would also pave the way for a full Formula E grid of twelve teams and 24 cars in Season 13.