F1 owners ‘close’ to stunning £3.5 BILLION takeover of motorsport rival

F1 Off the Track

F1 owners ‘close’ to stunning £3.5 BILLION takeover of motorsport rival

The mega-money deal could be completed soon

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 28 March 2024 08:27

A multi-billion pound deal put forward by Formula 1's owners Liberty Media is 'close' to being completed, according to reports.

It was revealed earlier this month that the American mass media company were looking to expand their portfolio, with one particular motorsport series catching their eye.

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They have pioneered the success of Drive to Survive, a North American expansion and rapid worldwide growth for F1, and may be looking to do the same thing with a two-wheeled sport.

MotoGP has also been the subject of huge growth in recent times, and it has been discussed the idea of a race weekend in which both motorbikes and F1 cars race around the same circuit.

MotoGP could be next in Liberty Media's portfolio

Liberty Media MotoGP deal 'close'

Now, a crossover may be even more likely to happen, with an announcement on Liberty Media's deal to acquire MotoGP expected some time next week.

That's according to the Financial Times, who have also revealed that Qatar Sports Investments - the owners of French football club Paris Saint Germain - were also interested in a deal.

They say that buying MotoGP would give Liberty Media, led by chief executive Greg Maffei, the chance to prove that its success in growing the popularity of F1 was not a one-off.

MotoGP heads to the US next month for the third race of their 2024 season, and it could provide a perfect opportunity for the proposed new owners to make a statement and be present at the Circuit of the Americas.

Formula 1 Drive to Survive MotoGP Liberty Media Gerhard Berger