A Chinese team in F1, Ben Sulayem opens again
A Chinese team on the F1 grid is no longer just a suggestion, but the only criterion to be met to have 24 cars on track. In recent months, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has repeatedly reiterated the idea of expanding the championship to a 12th team, specifically indicating China as the ideal manufacturer of the (potential) car. Now the Emirati, in addition to confirming this approach, clearly states that – in case of further expansion – the team must be based in the Land of the Dragon.
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Ben Sulayem’s words
“It’s no 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 into F1. “They thought I was wrong, but the idea was simple: instead of dividing the cake into ten slices, we would have had 11. But the cake would no longer have been the same, it would have been bigger“.
“It’s not just about 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 it will be so“.
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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 have emerged most insistently is BYD, a world leader in electric vehicle sales.
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