Liberty Media, holder of commercial rights to Formula 1, is about to acquire Dorna Sports, owner of MotoGP, for an estimated value of US$4 billion. The negotiation, which is still awaiting approval from the European Union, marks the American group’s entry into yet another motorsport category.
If this purchase is approved, it will represent a giant fusion of F1 with the world of motorcycles. The expectation is that Liberty Media will also incorporate another important motorcycling category, Superbike, also under the Dorna ‘umbrella’.
However, a legal obstacle could delay the process. In 2006, the European Union itself forced the CVC Capital Partners group to sell MotoGP, which was under its ownership at the time, precisely to avoid a monopoly in the television broadcasting rights market.
Liberty Media has been betting on a change of scenery since then, mainly due to the growth of F1 under its management. Revenue from the main motorsport category jumped from US$1.7 billion to US$3.2 billion between 2017 and 2023. MotoGP, therefore, awaits the arrival of the Americans eagerly, hoping to repeat the success of F1.
A final decision by the European Union will be decisive for the future of the business. Approval would create a motorsport giant, bringing together the two main two-wheel and four-wheel categories in the world.
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