F1 teams could now block Christian Horner returning to the grid as BYD boss

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Christian Horner’s return to F1 hit a roadblock following a breakdown in negotiations with Renault over a potential stake in Alpine, and he could now receive another blow if the grid opts to block a potential entry from BYD.

The former Red Bull team principal has reportedly held several meetings with the Chinese automotive giants over a potential entry in the sport.

How many years would it take Christian Horner to win races with BYD?

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All parties are understood to be interested, with BYD eyeing a spot in the biggest category of motorsport in the world, and F1 hoping to find a way into the Chinese market.

However, what capacity they might choose to enter remains a mystery. Purchasing an existing team is one option, as well as starting a brand new outfit from the ground up.

However, the latter option is expected to receive some pushback from the grid’s current residents.

• READ MORE: BYD could buy Renault’s old F1 factory and replace Alpine on the grid

F1 teams have ‘very little appetite’ to accept potential Christian Horner BYD entry

Speaking via the Nailing the Apex podcast, F1 journalist Nelson Valkenburg shed some more light on Horner’s failed bid to acquire a stake in Alpine, as well as the prospects of BYD entering the grid.

The Dutchman began by highlighting how the Enstone-based team’s owners, Renault, were not interested at all in bringing Horner into the fold, saying, “I sat down with the Renault Group CEO, and he was adamant that they are not interested in this link-up.

Amid the rumours about BYD, which car brand do you want to see join the F1 grid next?

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“They want full control of wherever the Otro Capital shares go; they really want control over the team. Reading between the lines there, they do not want a Horner type to come in with less than a 50% share and basically muddy the waters a little bit.

“It would be very problematic for where Alpine is right now to then add a BYD/Horner faction that has less than a quarter of the stake; that’s a business case that would ever work.”

He then outlined how the F1 paddock is very much against opening the grid up to another team, which would, in turn, reduce the amount of money available for each outfit in the end-of-year payouts regarding the constructors’ championship.

“I’ve been talking with a couple of people in the paddock, and there is very little appetite to dilute all the funds further and add a 12th team,” he added.

“Cadillac was a huge struggle, but it may pay off because if they go the V8 route at some point, Cadillac will most definitely be an engine manufacturer in the future.”

• READ MORE: F1 officials could hit BYD with the same ‘stumbling block’ Cadillac faced to join the grid

Renault exercised their ‘veto power’ to block Christian Horner’s offer to Otro Capital

A report by Autosport Web also shed some more light on the failure of Horner’s first real attempt to get himself back in the F1 paddock.

The Japanese outlet highlighted how Renault utilised their ‘veto power’ to ‘block’ any form of a deal being agreed with a group linked to Horner.

Renault are understood to not be the biggest fans of the former Red Bull chief, following a breakdown in the relationship between the French engine manufacturer back when they were supplying engines for the F1 team in the late 2010s.