Formula One owner Liberty Media is to acquire the promoter of MotoGP (Dorna Sports) in a bid to improve their sporting portfolio.

In recent days, there had been great speculation around this deal and on Monday (April 1) the tie-up between the world’s two largest motorsports was announced.

Although Liberty Media own and operate Formula One (alongside the FIA) there are currently no plans for them to do similar in MotoGP as they have stated they will keep the current management team – headed up by Carmelo Ezpeleta.

The new deal will see Liberty own 86% of Dorna Sports which Ezpeleta seems pleased about saying that, “Liberty Media has an incredible track record in developing sports assets and we could not wish for a better partner to expand MotoGP’s fanbase around the world,”.

The deal is set to be completed by the end of 2024 following approval from regulators both from a competition and investment perspective.

This could stall the plans as in 2006 when CVC Capital Partners owned F1 they were forced to sell MotoGP by the EU Commission due to the deal being deemed to reduce competition for television rights.

But provided Liberty get the deal over the finishing line (which they are confident in doing so), what will they actually do for MotoGP?

Reports are suggesting that Liberty will have less work to do on MotoGP then when they acquired Formula One in 2017 (which led to a great albeit controversial turnaround) but as I know very little about MotoGP (and don’t profess to do so) I won’t go into any specifics.

It has been said that Liberty Media will try and create an American MotoGP fanbase (similar to what they did in F1) which I don’t foresee any problems with as Liberty have said there will be no street circuits in MotoGP which was one of the main problems in the UK (I still don’t like the Miami track much).

Another plan they are copy and pasting from their current four wheeled series is to make better use of the personalities in the sport. Under Liberty, the F1 drivers are involved in much more from contrived opening ceremonies and walk-ons to the ‘Grill the Grid’ content on YouTube and this is likely to be happening in MotoGP soon too.

I can’t tell you whether Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP will be a good thing but it will be interesting to see what unfolds (if it is even allowed to happen).

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