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BYD could look to buy an established Formula 1 team rather than setting up their own operation, according to a report. Aston Martin may be in their sights.
Ahead of the race in Shanghai this weekend, it has emerged that the Chinese car firm could apply for F1 entry. The sport only just expanded to 11 teams with the arrival of Cadillac but Liberty Media have long seen 12 as the perfect number.
Audi are another new name on the grid for 2026, but they elected to buy Sauber and race with their own power units rather than starting from scratch. BYD are exploring both approaches.
Amid the rumours about BYD, which car brand do you want to see join the F1 grid next?
Aston Martin a ‘candidate’ for BYD takeover
A recent report claimed that Lawrence Stroll may be ‘losing interest’ in F1 amid the desperate situation at Aston Martin, sparking paddock rumours that the team could be sold.
Stroll has spent six times more than he planned in the hope of turning Aston into a contender. Instead, they have started F1’s new era 10th in the pecking order, only ahead of Cadillac, and laid the blame with engine suppliers Honda.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, the Canadian businessman ‘could soon reach his breaking point’, which makes Aston Martin a viable ‘takeover target’ for BYD.
Higher or lower: Aston Martin will complete 20 laps in the Chinese Grand Prix before their first retirement
On Honda’s side, there is no appetite to ‘pull the plug’ at this stage, even though they originally planned to quit the sport before the 2026 regulations.
Last year, Aston Martin were valued at around $3bn, or £2.2bn, making the most expensive team on the grid behind the ‘big four’.
Alpine could also be a ‘starting point’ for BYD
There has been persistent talk in F1 circles that Alpine could be up for sale, even if majority shareholders Renault have consistently denied this.
After securing the best-in-class Mercedes engine, buying Alpine could be an ideal ‘starting point’ for a prospective newcomer like BYD.
While Renault CEO Francois Provost is far from a ‘motorsport enthusiast’ and is already pulling the manufacturer out of the World Endurance Championship this year, they are not actively in talks to sell their 76% stake in the F1 team.
But Otro Capital, who own the remaining 24%, are speaking to potential investors. Toto Wolff and Mercedes could buy into Alpine, while former Red Bull boss Christian Horner is known to be interested too.
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