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BYD are set for further talks about a potential F1 entry at the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix, according to reports from Italy.
The F1 grid received an 11th team in the form of Cadillac this season for the first time since 2016, and there has been talk of there potentially being a 12th outfit in the sport following BYD’s recent expression of interest.
Amid the rumours about BYD, which car brand do you want to see join the F1 grid next?
It has become clear that BYD are very keen on getting a foot in the door within the pinnacle of single-seater motor racing, but the Chinese automotive giants are currently unsure of what form that may take.
Of course, the possibility of fielding themselves as a brand new constructor on the grid is a possibility, but there have also been some discussions regarding BYD purchasing an existing outfit and rebranding them in their own colours.
- READ MORE: F1 officials could hit BYD with the same ‘stumbling block’ Cadillac faced to join the grid
BYD executives will meet with ‘top F1 officials’ at the Monaco Grand Prix
According to a report by Motorsport Italia, BYD’s executive vice president Stella Li will meet with ‘top F1 officials’ in Monaco to define the ‘priorities’ of the Chinese car manufacturer amid a potential entry into the sport.
The meeting comes after Li met with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali at the Chinese Grand Prix, and also after the Chinese executive was spotted alongside former Red Bull boss Christian Horner at an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month.
How many years would it take Christian Horner to win races with BYD?
The report acknowledges ‘talk’ from inside the paddock at last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, in which it was put forward that BYD could potentially acquire an existing team rather than paying the $450m (£335m) fee that Cadillac did to get on the grid.
Of course, with BYD currently valued at around £96bn according to Stock Analysis, they would have no issue with the fee, but it is a lot of money to invest in a sport that they have no prior experience in.
However, that may be where Horner comes in. The 52-year-old has reportedly held multiple meetings with Li over the prospect, and he could be the perfect candidate to lead their charge.
He already has ample experience in building an F1 outfit from the ground up and into a world-championship-winning team across two separate eras of regulations.
BYD can also offer F1 something no other team on the grid can
The most exciting part of BYD’s interest in F1 for the sport’s top brass is the potential of finding a way into the Chinese market. There have been failed attempts in the past, but as of 2026, there has never been a fully Chinese-owned and operated team.
Cadillac reserve driver Zhou Guanyu made history in 2022 as the first Chinese driver to earn a seat in F1, but his exit from a full-time position on the grid hasn’t aided Domenicali’s hopes of gaining a stronghold in the market.
As such, pundit Juan Pablo Montoya believes BYD is ‘crucial’ to the future of F1. There is certainly a demand for it, as the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix saw a record attendance of nearly 230,000 spectators over the course of the race weekend.
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