Chinese car manufacturer BYD Auto is interested in entering Formula 1, but currently it seems that they are only observing the situation. The appearance of such a brand would be beneficial for both sides, but several conditions need to be met, which now seem distant.
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Dynamic development of Chinese car manufacturers and the need to establish a presence worldwide
Chinese passenger car manufacturers have developed significantly in recent years. They are no longer just taking over the domestic market in this country (the largest in the world), but are also playing an increasingly important role globally. In June 2026, for the first time in history, exports of cars from China to other countries exceeded one million units. It is forecasted that in 2026, 10 million passenger cars will leave Chinese factories to be sent to other countries. For comparison, it is worth adding that according to ACEA data, in the entire year of 2025, just under 80 million passenger cars were produced worldwide, including just under 30 million in China. This is definitely the most important automotive market in the world, currently dominated by local companies that have now started to rely heavily on exports. This is a repeat of the situation from years ago when automotive companies from Japan, and later South Korea, were in a similar position, but this time on a much larger scale.
Chinese car brands are largely unknown worldwide, so they need to promote themselves strongly. This is where motorsports come in, which for many brands (mainly those focused on better performance or luxury) have long been the most effective form of promotion. We can be sure that Chinese automotive companies will gradually become more present in various motorsports. I expect a classic imitation effect. When one of the local companies appears in global motorsport and benefits from it, others will do the same.
Car manufacturer BYD Auto considers entering Formula 1
In 2025, BYD Auto ranked seventh worldwide in terms of cars sold (4.6 million units). It was also the largest producer of electric engine cars (beating Tesla). BYD is developing dynamically, building factories in various countries, and most importantly, strongly focusing on electrification. I am not 100% sure here, but from the data I have seen, it appears that currently all or almost all cars they sell are at least hybrid, meaning they do not sell cars with only combustion engines at all. This is a key issue regarding their potential appearance in Formula 1. They would fit regulations that use hybrid engines with the largest possible electric component, similar to the current ones. The FIA president, however, is pushing for V8 engines with a small hybrid addition to be used in 2030 or 2031 (details). In my opinion, this is one of the two main issues holding back BYD’s potential entry into F1. They need clarity about what the next engine regulations will be, and those regulations must be favorable to them. If BYD’s interest is serious, FIA may meet their expectations regarding future regulations, just as they did a few years ago with Audi, Honda, and Porsche (who later withdrew) regarding the 50/50 power split and the configuration of engines used from this year.
The second important matter with BYD Auto concerns their approach. BYD Auto’s vice president Stella Li (who mainly speaks on global presence topics) confirmed during the July Goodwood Festival of Speed that they are considering appearing in F1, but there is no concrete plan yet. The company’s special advisor Alfredo Altavilla added that they will consider entering F1 if they can use their technology there, and they are not interested in mere sponsorship and logos on the cars of one of the existing teams. BYD Auto is only interested in presence as a technical partner or team owner. Much depends on what the next technical regulations will be. This will greatly narrow their possibilities.
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Therefore, we return to information from a few weeks ago when Stella Li spoke during the Monaco GP with Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Earlier, she met with Christian Horner when BYD was linked to his desire to buy 24% of the Alpine team (this topic now seems outdated). The best option for BYD would be to have their own team in F1. Currently, there is no good candidate for acquisition, but theoretically, they could create a completely new team. Formula 1 can have 12 teams, and there is one free spot. From various statements, it appears that FIA and Liberty Media would only allow a team backed by a major car manufacturer into F1. BYD Auto is an ideal candidate for them. A Chinese team in F1 would be an extremely important addition for the entire sport and would allow a stronger presence in that country. However, this is a very distant prospect. Michael Andretti and Cadillac tried for several years before being accepted, then had to prepare the team almost from scratch, and optimistically will have their own engines by 2028.
Summary
If BYD Auto decided today that they want to have their own team in F1, going through the entire procedure and obtaining the necessary approvals would take them several years. Such a team would be ready to debut in F1 in 2030/2031, which is when new regulations, whose shape we do not know, should appear. Therefore, if BYD is really seriously interested, they must, like Audi, participate in talks about future engine regulations. When these are accepted and suit them, only then can they seriously start trying to launch their own team and engine production. For this reason, the topic of BYD in F1 may regularly appear over the next few years, but whether they actually appear in F1 or not is currently impossible to determine.
Other automotive companies also orbit around F1. The main candidate is Toyota, which has increasing influence on Haas, and further in the F1 orbit is Hyundai, which chose other motorsport disciplines but may decide in a few years that they prefer F1. The key factor is the next engine regulations, as these are the most important for such automotive groups.
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