Mar.28 (GMM) Rumours that F1’s business proprietor Liberty Media can be shopping for the two-wheeled equal, MotoGP, have gotten increasingly more concrete.
A month in the past, MotoGP’s long-time boss, Carmelo Ezpeleta, didn’t deny the buyout rumours, as experiences swirled that promoter Dorna’s present proprietor, Bridgepoint, was in multi-billion greenback talks.
“The bulk shareholders of Dorna are funding funds, which purchase issues to promote them,” he mentioned, having earlier admitted {that a} joint F1-MotoGP race weekend may also be within the works.
Now, the authoritative Monetary Occasions newspaper says the deal may very well be value as a lot as properly over $4 billion, with the talks in latest weeks having turn into “unique”.
Citing key sources, correspondents Matthew Garrahan and Samuel Agini says Liberty has seen off “a rival bid from TKO, the sports activities and leisure group run by Hollywood powerbroker Ari Emanuel”, in addition to one other bid from Qatar.
One downside, nonetheless, may very well be battle of curiosity considerations. One competitors lawyer informed FT that investigations into the joint F1-MotoGP possession are “fairly possible”.
All events, together with Dorna and Liberty, declined to formally remark.
“An settlement is shut,” the newspaper mentioned, “however an announcement may very well be pushed into subsequent week”.
