BYD Holds High-Level Monaco Talks as It Weighs a Formula 1 Entry

The meetings show BYD is weighing either buying into an existing team or creating a factory entry while facing major regulatory and approval hurdles.

Overview

BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li met Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend to advance exploratory discussions.
The company is considering a range of routes into F1, including acquiring a minority stake in a team or building a new factory entry, and has not applied to join yet.
Stella Li has also held talks with former Red Bull principal Christian Horner, who is publicly linked as a possible operational partner for any BYD motorsport project.
The FIA’s reported move toward a greater combustion‑engine role by 2030–2031 creates a strategic mismatch with BYD’s electric‑vehicle identity and complicates the technical case for entry.
No deal has been announced and any move would need long‑term funding, FOM and FIA approvals, and time to build motorsport infrastructure after earlier talks in Abu Dhabi 2025 and Shanghai.