Recent reports indicate that BYD has ramped up discussions after meeting with Christian Horner, the former team principal of Red Bull Racing, during the Cannes events. This comes on the heels of earlier news that highlighted the company’s efforts to enhance its global footprint through motorsport.
Stella Li, Vice President of BYD, is said to be organizing additional meetings with senior officials from Formula 1 and the FIA as the company investigates a possible future in the sport.
Nevertheless, talks are still considered to be in their infancy, and no official confirmation has been made regarding BYD’s participation in Formula 1. It remains uncertain whether the firm will create its own power unit, collaborate with an existing engine supplier, invest in an established team, or support the establishment of a potential 12th team on the grid.
BYD acknowledges ongoing discussions with F1 amid entry speculations
The Chinese Grand Prix weekend has seemingly played a significant role in heightening the buzz around BYD’s possible involvement in Formula 1. During the Shanghai race weekend, Li revealed that she has been in “close contact” with Formula One Management and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“We are consistently in close contact,” she stated. “I admire Formula 1 for its passion and culture; it inspires people to dream of being in this sport.”
Meanwhile, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has shared an optimistic outlook regarding a potential Chinese entry into Formula 1.
“If there is a Chinese [bid], and I will represent them [FOM] now before you, they would agree, as it pertains to sustaining the business,” Ben Sulayem mentioned.
Conversely, Domenicali has adopted a more cautious stance.
“We will only consider significant bids because we are already at capacity; logistically, we’ve reached our limits,” the Italian expressed.
The existing Concorde Agreement allows for up to 12 teams in the Formula 1 grid, which keeps the door open for a potential BYD entry. That said, in light of the challenging journey faced by Andretti Global and Cadillac in their attempts to join the grid, BYD may still encounter a substantial process ahead should it seriously opt for a Formula 1 entry.
