Ben Sulayem: “It seemed like I committed a crime by adding Cadillac. 12th team? If it arrives, it will be Chinese”

A Chinese team in F1, Ben Sulayem opens again A Chinese team on the F1 grid is no longer a simple suggestion, but the only criterion to be met to have 24 cars on the track. In recent months, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has reiterated several times the idea of ​​expanding the championship to a 12th team, indicating China as the ideal producer of the (potential) car. Now the Emirati, in addition to confirming this approach, clearly states that – in the event of a further enlargement – the team will have to be based in the Land of the Dragon. Ben Sulayem’s words “It’s not a secret: when we started the expression of interest process, everyone was against it, as if I had committed a crime”, these are the words, taken from AUTOHebdo, with which Ben Sulayem recalls the controversies at the beginning of the process that brought Cadillac to F1. “They thought I was wrong, but the idea was simple: instead of dividing the cake into ten slices, we would have 11. But the cake would no longer be the same, it would be bigger.” “It’s not about simply adding a team, but about adding the right team at the right time,” he added. “The message is clear and has been conveyed: if a new team enters the championship, it will come from China, and I hope that is the case.” The BYD hypothesis The presence of a Chinese manufacturer would clearly represent an important commercial and strategic opportunity for F1, strengthening its presence in one of the largest markets in the world. Among the names that emerged most insistently was BYD, world leader in the sale of electric cars.

Automobile Magazine – Formula1 English, News

2026-07-02 05:00:00