Overview
- Christian Horner met BYD vice-president Stella Li during the company’s Cannes Night event, with multiple outlets reporting private talks about a potential Formula 1 project.
- Reporting from Speedcafe adds that Horner was also believed to have met BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu in Cannes, though neither side has announced any agreement.
- BYD says it is evaluating Formula 1 and is understood to be studying a clean-sheet entry as a prospective 12th team rather than buying a small stake in an existing outfit.
- There is no formal bid yet, and F1 leaders have sent mixed signals, with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcoming a credible Chinese entry and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali warning of logistical limits on expanding the grid.
- Horner became free to return to F1 earlier in May after a long gardening leave and has been visible at motorsport events, including the Monaco E-Prix, as BYD’s fast-growing EV and battery business explores how racing could showcase its technology.