Porsche is not denying that a "high efficiency engine" already under development could become the basis of a F1 project.

The German sports car maker shocked the world of motor sport recently by announcing that it is leaving the top Le Mans category LMP1.

However, Porsche's entire Le Mans team is being kept together, ramping up speculation that after a move into Formula E, the next step could be F1.

"We need all of these (LMP1) people in the future," Porsche's research and development chief Michael Steiner told Auto Motor und Sport.

"The great team we built for LMP1 is highly motivated and represents an enormous wealth of knowledge," he explained. "So it is a good idea to have a concrete plan for the engineers, mechanics and even for the drivers."

Exactly what the whole LMP1 team will be doing, however, is unclear, and only adds to the rumours that the next step for Porsche is a F1 engine for the post-2020 rules.

"Like other manufacturers, we at the invitation of the FIA are participating in the discussions about the future formula one powertrain," Steiner admitted.

"The team at Weissach is not working on an F1 engine at the moment, but it is working on a high-efficiency engine at the concept level -- without a decision about what we are doing with this engine," he said.

(GMM)