I see that VW/Audi and Porsche have once again stated their intention to leave F1 alone, citing cost and the Mosley sex scandal as the reasons. Like everyone else, I think this is a great pity, although not unexpected. I have fond memories of Porsche's brief foray into F1 in the sixties and would love to see a repeat of the exercise. In the grand tradition of its founder, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, the company invariably has a fresh and different approach to design and this was typified in its last F1 effort, the 804 of 1962.
Porsche 804
But Dr Porsche is given slightly more credit for innovation than he deserves. His most famous creation, the VW Beetle, and its layout of rear engine and rear wheel drive, was not actually his idea at all. It came, in fact, from a little known Czech car manufacturer, Tatra.
Tatra is one of the oldest car manufacturers of all, third after Daimler-Benz and Peugeot. In 1934 they produced the T77 model in which all the essential ideas for the Beetle were present - rear-mounted engine, swing axles, etc. It was also the world's first aerodynamic production car, boasting an extremely low drag coefficient, but that is not really the point.
The connection comes when we learn that Tatra's chief engineer, an Austrian named Hans Ledwinka, discussed his ideas for the T77 with a certain Dr Ferdinand Porsche. In 1938 Porsche designed the car that the world was to know as the VW Beetle. And the coincidence was more than just apparent; in 1961, after a long legal struggle, Tatra were awarded damages by a German court.
Tatra ceased car production many years ago but still make all-wheel drive trucks, primarily for military use. And I thought it might be appropriate to remember their contribution to cars and motor sport as we watch Porsche once again stepping back from involvement in F1. If Hans Ledwinka were still around, maybe he would have been prepared to give it a go...