[Saba Sports News] Recently, media reports reveal that Stella Li, Vice President of BYD, has held talks with Christian Horner. The Chinese new energy vehicle giant is seriously evaluating the possibility of entering Formula 1. It is learned that acquiring shares in an existing F1 team is not BYD’s top priority. Instead, the company prefers to build its own F1 team. With a market capitalization exceeding hundreds of billions of US dollars and steadily growing global sales, capital is clearly not an issue for BYD. Rather than acting merely as a sponsor, the group aims to leverage Formula 1, the world’s premier motorsport platform, to boost its global influence and showcase its technological strengths.
Nevertheless, BYD still faces substantial practical hurdles ahead of a potential F1 entry. First, it will need to pass the new team review procedures likely to be launched by the FIA and gain approval from Formula 1’s commercial rights holder. The Cadillac F1 project went through a lengthy approval process in the past, meaning ample financial strength alone cannot secure BYD a spot on the grid easily.
A bigger challenge lies in technical strategies. F1 is currently discussing a return to V8 engines around 2030 alongside a gradual reduction of electric components. BYD has completely phased out pure fuel vehicles in recent years and focused fully on battery electric and plug-in hybrid models. Its development direction stands in stark contrast to F1’s prospective shift back to large-displacement traditional engines. This has sparked speculation over whether BYD will independently develop its own power units or partner with other manufacturers.
In my opinion, the Chinese market boasts tremendous commercial value for Formula 1, and a works team from a Chinese automaker will undoubtedly unlock new growth potential. Its eventual entry hinges on multiple factors including financing structure, F1 expansion approval, technical roadmap and corporate strategy.