| Today is a huge day for Porsche. No, it’s not revealed what its future Formula 1 entry will look like, after the Red Bull deal fell through, but it is now listed on the Frankfurt stock market. And so far, so very good. Defying a volatile market, the initial public offering raised almost $20 billion and the company is now valued at $72 billion – just behind parent Volkswagen and ahead of both Mercedes and Ferrari. With its shares already trending upwards, the IPO releases vital funds as Porsche plunges headlong into a massive electrification programme that puts Tesla squarely in its sights. The good news for us is that Porsche is also expanding its motorsport activities, targeting the Formula E title and rejoining the top-class sportscar ranks (and the Le Mans 24 Hours) next year, plus the potential of that F1 return for the new 2026 engine rules. It was only in 2009 that Volkswagen bailed out a debt-ridden Porsche (crippled by the global financial crisis as it – ironically – was trying to buy VW) and now it’s been rewarded to the tune of some $72 billion. And a healthy Porsche is great for our sport. By: Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief
Motorsport.com | 
