Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta tells the truth about sale rumour to F1’s Liberty Media
Reports in Spain claim that F1 owners Liberty Media want to acquire MotoGP rights holder Dorna
Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of Dorna, has responded to reports that MotoGP’s rights holder could be sold.
Formula 1 owners Liberty Media are in talks to acquire Dorna, Spain-based Expansion reported.
Amazon, Netflix and Disney are also interested, the report claims.
Ezpeleta has now given his side of the story.
He told Marca: "The majority shareholders of Dorna are investment funds, which buy things to sell them.
“We have always been for sale, from day one.
“We have been with Bridgepoint since 2006 and CPP since 2013.
“There are always approaches and everything.
“That's it. For now, that's it. We're the same as we always were."
Bridgepoint is a private equity firm, CPP is an investment fund.
Liberty Media bought the rights to F1 in 2017.
They are now worth $18.2 billion, making them the world’s most valuable sports empire according to Forbes last year.
F1 has enjoyed a period of added popularity since the US-based owners took control.
The Netflix series ‘Drive To Survive’ is the most notable example of Liberty Media’s ability to drive interest in their product.
The F1 season begins this weekend in Bahrain.
The MotoGP 2024 campaign starts on March 8 in Qatar.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
