Mohammed Ben Sulayem: We've spoken with China about new F1 team

Times

08-07-2025

The FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he has held talks with a Chinese manufacturer over a potential 12th Formula 1 team.
Ben Sulayem has visited China and would like the biggest automotive region in the world to be represented on the Formula 1 grid. The sport does have a Chinese driver in Zhou Guanyu, who is a reserve for Ferrari, while the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai is contracted to remain on the calendar until at least 2030.
Asked if there had been an approach from the Chinese, Ben Sulayem replied: 'Talks. I still feel that we need more teams [rather] than more races. If there is a Chinese [bid] I will speak on behalf of FOM [Formula One Management] now, in front of you, they will agree on that because it is good for business.
'Think of the long term. If there is another team from China, they [will] approve it, 100 per cent they will approve it. Wouldn't it make more money with China coming in? I believe [so], yes. Do we have to fill up another 12th team for the sake of filling up that 12th team? No, it will be the right team.'
As of yet, there is no official bid for the FIA, world motorsport's governing body, or FOM to consider. A consortium of North American investors, advised by Otmar Szafnauer, the former Alpine team principal, are also interested in forming a 12th team, although the best option may well be to buy an existing one.
Some teams are already complaining of the impact Cadillac's entry will have on their income next season, with the American team taking some of their staff members. In March, Cadillac were officially approved for their entry in 2026.
'I am here as a sportsman and I'd like to keep the spirit of the sport,' Ben Sulayem said. 'Of course, they will have to say, 'Oh, it's a piece of cake, and now it's been divided into 11.' Yes, I see the point. But the revenue is getting bigger.'
Ben Sulayem was as bullish as ever, speaking 48 hours after Tim Mayer officially announced his intention to run against him in December's FIA presidential election.
Mayer, the 59-year-old former FIA steward, accused Ben Sulayem of overseeing a 'reign of terror' since taking charge in December 2021.
'I feel for people [who] say this,' Ben Sulayem said. 'They are disconnected from the FIA. He has worked as a steward. A steward doesn't mean you're an insider of the FIA, as a steward you're not staff. The FIA has a different way of working.
'The FIA works for the members and to promote the sport, they don't work as before just for the promoter. If we want to grow motorsport we have to go back to the members and listen to them and see what they want. We'll have to listen to them, they're the ones that make the FIA, they're the biggest and strongest body.
'If I go and defend myself… I have other things to do. I am really busy. I am not going to fall into this way of campaigning where I answer someone. He is free to say whatever he wants. We say in our culture in Arabic: '[The] tongue has no bones.''
Ben Sulayem also suggested that any criticism of him on issues such as his swearing ban, which he later softened, and his lack of transparency was manufactured by the media. Drivers, including George Russell and Carlos Sainz Jr, have criticised Ben Sulayem but the president insisted they could call him with any issues and that his public perception would not affect the election.
'I know how strong your media is in the UK, you can bring a prime minister down twice a year, down in his cabinet, but you don't have that effect on the FIA,' he said. 'Honest to God, I'm [saying] it humbly. You don't even have an effect any more on the members.
'Let's see, they will get me out, then? They have the power to get me out. It's about the members. And when I see this, smiling [at him]. Maybe they're smiling truly or not, but it's their decision.'
Elsewhere, the Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that talks took place at the weekend with Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive adviser, over bringing the Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas to the team. He could replace Franco Colapinto, who had another poor race weekend, crashing in qualifying before a gearbox issue prevented him starting Sunday's British Grand Prix.