BYD in F1 and the Christian Horner Comeback: A Fact-Checked Guide

Formula 1 is entering a new era. Cadillac has joined the grid as the 11th team for 2026, Chinese EV giant BYD is knocking on the door, and former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner — sacked in 2025 after 20 years of dominance — is publicly backed by the sport's governing body to return. The obvious question: are the two stories connected?

This article separates confirmed fact from paddock speculation, drawing on Reuters, Bloomberg, official statements, and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's own words.

BYD's F1 Entry: What Has Actually Been Said

BYD's interest in Formula 1 is real, confirmed, and advanced. Here is the timeline of official statements and reports:

• March 2026: Bloomberg reported that BYD was examining options to enter F1 and endurance racing to boost global brand appeal, citing people familiar with the matter .
• April 2026: BYD confirmed it held talks with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali about a potential future bid . The company said it is considering roles beyond building a new team, including sponsorship or investment .
• May 2026: BYD vice president Stella Li stated publicly: "It's an opportunity we're seriously considering" . BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu and Li also held meetings at the Cannes Film Festival to advance negotiations .
• June 2026: Reuters reported that BYD sees sponsorship as a lower-risk alternative to founding a full team, but that establishing the first Chinese F1 team remains an option being weighed .
• June 2026: FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem hinted that BYD would be "the right team" for a potential 12th grid entry, following the addition of Cadillac as the 11th team for 2026 .

Key uncertainty: Under the current Concorde Agreement, only 12 teams are permitted. With Cadillac entering as #11, a BYD entry as #12 would require a commercial agreement with FOM and approval from existing teams . The higher-cost route of building a new team versus a sponsorship deal remains undecided .

Christian Horner's Situation After His Red Bull Exit

Horner was sacked by Red Bull on July 9, 2025, three days after the British Grand Prix, ending a 20-year tenure that delivered 6 constructors' and 8 drivers' championships. He was replaced by Laurent Mekies .

Contract and Timeline

• Contract termination: Red Bull and Horner reached a formal agreement on his contract exit in September 2025, with his buyout reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars .
• Paddock return: On July 5, 2026, Horner stepped back inside the F1 paddock at Silverstone for the first time since his sacking. He told Reuters that a full return "would depend on whether he could be a winner again" .

Potential Landing Spots

• Alpine stake talks: Horner was part of a group interested in acquiring a 24% stake in Alpine held by Otro Capital. However, in June 2026, Renault Group CEO Francois Provost told the Press Association there were "no discussions" with Horner, effectively stalling that path .
• Aston Martin contact: In October 2025, Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell said Horner had been calling "pretty much every team owner" in F1 seeking a return, including Aston Martin, but no formal role emerged .
• New role at Oakley Capital: In June 2026, Horner took his first post-Red Bull job at Oakley Capital, a private investment firm, suggesting he is keeping options open outside full-time team principal roles .

Ben Sulayem's Confidence That Horner Will Return

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been the most vocal public figure backing a Horner return. His comments have been emphatic and consistent:

• May 2026: Ben Sulayem told media in Miami: "He will be back... I talk to him regularly." He called Horner "irreplaceable" and said F1 "misses him" .
• July 6, 2026: Asked by the Oxford Mail whether he expects Horner to return, Ben Sulayem replied: "Yes." Pressed if it was likely: "He will get back. Where is not for me to say, although I know" .
• July 7–8, 2026: Ben Sulayem reiterated: "He will get back," and added "everybody makes mistakes" regarding Horner's dismissal .

Bottom line on Sulayem's stance: His comments strongly imply he already knows Horner's destination but is not disclosing it .

How BYD's Interest Affects Horner's Comeback Prospects

BYD's potential entry is directly relevant to Horner because it represents a possible landing spot for him as a team principal.

The BYD-Horner Speculation

• The unconfirmed rumor: TheJudge13 reported in June 2026 that BYD is "reportedly eyeing a partnership with former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner" to lead a new 12th team, leveraging BYD's $125 billion valuation . This report is from a speculative source and has not been confirmed by BYD, Horner, or the FIA.
• Paddock sightings: The same report noted that BYD vice president Stella Li and Horner were spotted together at the Cannes Film Festival, fueling conjecture .

Ben Sulayem's Linking of the Two

The FIA president has publicly endorsed both BYD as the right 12th team and Horner's return, though he has not explicitly connected them .

Why the Timeline Favors the BYD Option

• Alpine setback: With the Alpine stake talks stalled and Renault denying active discussions, the BYD option has gained traction in paddock speculation as a more plausible route for Horner to return as a team principal rather than a minority owner .
• Existing alternatives faded: Aston Martin was contacted by Horner in 2025 but no formal role emerged . Horner's Oakley Capital role suggests he is keeping other options open .

Summary Assessment

The most supported reading of the evidence is that BYD's interest in an F1 entry is real and advanced, that Horner is actively seeking a team principal return, and that Ben Sulayem is publicly paving the way — but a formal BYD-Horner partnership remains unconfirmed speculation as of July 2026.