Horner in Talks Over New BYD F1 Team Entry

Christian Horner, who was dismissed from Red Bull last year, is exploring a return by heading a new F1 team backed by Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD. Talks between Horner and BYD executive vice president Stella Li took place last week in the south of France, with sources describing them as positive and serious.

Why it matters:

A BYD entry would bring a major Chinese automotive brand to F1, broadening the sport's global appeal and commercial footprint. For Horner, it offers a chance to build a team from scratch and regain full control — something he wasn't willing to settle for with partial stakes at Alpine or Aston Martin.

The Details:

• Horner met Li during a BYD activation at the Cannes Film Festival and discussed F1 collaboration.
• His non-compete clause from Red Bull has expired, making him a free agent.
• Horner's ambition: He wants financial ownership or CEO-level control, not just a team principal role.
• BYD's stance: The company has long eyed F1 as a technology showcase. Li earlier met F1 CEO Domenicali in China and stated that F1 presents a "real opportunity to test our technology."
• BYD prefers starting a new team (12th entry) over acquiring a partial stake in an existing operation, unless full ownership is available.

What's Next:

• Horner faces a rival bid from Mercedes for the Alpine stake, but the BYD project could be more appealing if it gains F1 approval.
• FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem supports a Chinese manufacturer entry and indicated FOM would likely approve.
• A startup would take time, requiring F1 to open the entry process again, similar to Cadillac's admission.

For Horner and BYD, the pieces are aligning for a potential game-changing partnership.