Jun.15 (GMM) Mohammed Ben Sulayem has added fuel to growing speculation that Chinese automotive giant BYD could become Formula 1’s twelfth and final team.
The FIA president has long supported expanding the grid, a campaign that ultimately resulted in Cadillac joining Formula 1 as the eleventh team in 2026.
Now, amid increasing rumours linking BYD with a future entry and recent high-level meetings at grands prix, Ben Sulayem has openly welcomed the prospect of a Chinese team.
“It’s not about simply adding another team, but about adding the right team,” the FIA president told Germany’s DPA news agency at Le Mans.
“And we see the right team in China.”
Current Formula 1 regulations allow for a twelfth team, despite potential ongoing opposition from the existing competitors and Liberty Media-owned Formula One Management.
Ben Sulayem indicated that a Chinese manufacturer would be his preferred option if the grid expands again.
“It was already clear that if there were to be another team, hopefully it will be one from China,” he said.
BYD vice president Stella Li was recently reported to have met with both Ben Sulayem and Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali during the Monaco GP weekend.
There have also been reports linking the project with former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who was spotted with BYD at the recent Cannes film festival.