Why even Porsche cannot be certain of Formula E success

Porsche's last major motorsport programme was a crushing success - three straight Le Mans 24 Hours wins and World Endurance Championship title doubles. But its new mission in Formula E will be harder

Alex Kalinauckas May 24, 2019, 7:18 AM

Upd: May 24, 2019, 10:18 AM

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There is a motorsport giant preparing to re-enter the spotlight. The last time it took to the stage, it swept all before it in one of the highest-profile racing categories, winning arguably the world's most famous race three times in a row, with three double titles (drivers' and constructors') to boot.

This company has not always achieved great feats in every motorsport sphere it has entered. In Formula 1, it made sporadic works entries during the early years of the world championship, winning one grand prix. Later it enjoyed major triumphs as an engine supplier, but then, after an unsuccessful attempt to crack Indycar racing between 1987 and '90 (leaving with a category record of one win and three poles), its second stint supplying F1 powerplants was a disaster.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.