F1’s Liberty Media Hit With Latest MotoGP Takeover Obstacle

The takeover was expected to have been wrapped up by this point, however, the European Union is set to probe into the deal.

A deadline on when the European Commission can take action against the takeover is 19 December, so time is running out, although that is expected before Thursday. Liberty Media’s seismic takeover, which would include owning 86 per cent of Dorna Sports and MotoGP, would leave the American company as the face of both Formula 1 and MotoGP, as it already owns the former.

But concerns of it holding a ‘monopoly’ in motorsport due to owning the two biggest championships has been raised, even before the European Union seemed set to take action.

In fact, just two months ago Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont had asked the European Commission to investigate Liberty Media amid fears of it holding too big a stranglehold. According to Bloomberg and Reuters. The EU’s new antitrust chief Teresa Ribera and her team are concerned that the €3.5 billion (roughly £2.9 billion) deal could stifle competition in broadcasting and streaming areas by bringing the MotoGP and F1 brands under the same ownership.

The current owners of Formula 1, who have become a driving force behind the rise in interest in the sport over the last few years, helped tremendously by the Drive to Survive series, announced earlier this year that it had acquired an 86 per cent majority to buy Dorna Sports and MotoGP.

Since then, Liberty Media has gone through the necessary regulatory processes to get the acquisition completed by the end of the year. Although we are still awaiting the takeover to materialise.

If Liberty Media does get its purchase of MotoGP over the line, joint races at the same venue could take place between the two championships at some point in the future.