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F1 owner Liberty Media acquires MotoGP commercial rights

Liberty Media has reached an agreement to take over the commercial rights to the MotoGP series, adding it to its ownership of Formula 1 within its racing portfolio. The global motorcycle racing series is promoted by Dorna Sports, S.L. (Dorna), with …

Liberty Media has reached an agreement to take over the commercial rights to the MotoGP series, adding it to its ownership of Formula 1 within its racing portfolio.

The global motorcycle racing series is promoted by Dorna Sports, S.L. (Dorna), with Liberty acquiring the commercial rights holder from Bridgepoint and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The deal represents enterprise value of $4.5billion (€4.2bn), as Liberty will acquire 86 percent of MotoGP, with MotoGP management retaining approximately 14 percent. The deal will see MotoGP added to Liberty’s Formula One Group tracking stock.

Existing Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta will continue to run the business from its Madrid headquarters, with Liberty Media president and CEO Greg Maffei saying he sees “significant upside” to the deal.

“We are thrilled to expand our portfolio of leading live sports and entertainment assets with the acquisition of MotoGP,” Maffei said. “MotoGP is a global league with a loyal, enthusiastic fan base, captivating racing and a highly cash flow generative financial profile.

“Carmelo and his management team have built a great sporting spectacle that we can expand to a wider global audience. The business has significant upside, and we intend to grow the sport for MotoGP fans, teams, commercial partners and our shareholders.”

Ezpeleta hints at Liberty’s work in increasing interest and value in F1 as one of the exciting factors behind the deal.

“This is the perfect next step in the evolution of MotoGP, and we are excited for what this milestone brings to Dorna, the MotoGP paddock and racing fans,” Ezpeleta said. “We are proud of the global sport we’ve grown, and this transaction is a testament to the value of the sport today and its growth potential. Liberty 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.”

Liberty says it expects to complete the acquisition by the end of 2024, although acknowledges it is “subject to the receipt of clearances and approvals by competition and foreign investment law authorities in various jurisdictions”. Former F1 owner CVC Capital Partners had to relinquish its interest in Dorna back in 2006 to complete its F1 deal at the time, as the European Commission had anti-competition concerns.

MotoGP moves to TNT Sports

MotoGP has a new broadcast home in the U.S., after concluding a deal for an expanded media rights agreement with TNT Sports. The new deal replaces MotoGP’s previous broadcasting deal with NBC Sports. Beginning with this weekend’s Grand Prix of …

Beginning with this weekend’s Grand Prix of Qatar, every Sprint and Grand Prix race will air live across TNT Sports’ networks and platforms, including truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On.

Max’s B/R Sports Add-On will also stream every session for every Grand Prix class across all three days of track activity, including the MotoGP qualifying shootout and the Grand Prix races for Moto2 and Moto3.

Quartararo and Yamaha flying higher again in MotoGP after Indonesia podium

After last Sunday’s podium finish in the Grand Prix of Indonesia, Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP competitor Fabio Quartararo enthusiastically proclaimed it his best 2023 effort yet, and pointed at more to come for the remaining rounds of the …

“This is the best podium of the year,” declared the 2021 MotoGP world champion at the Mandalika circuit. “In India I was nine seconds from Marco Bezzecchi and in Austin I made the podium but I was a little bit too far from the winners. Today, I really recovered to the top two and really caught up with them due to my speed, not because of the consequences of the race.”

Quartararo hopes the Phillip Island circuit for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix will serve him well again. Currently 10^th in the standings, the Frenchman is looking ahead to ending the season on a high note.

Q: You’ve said you believe this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix will be “tricky.” How so?

Yeah, Phillip Island is a really fun track. Hopefully the weather will be all right because Sunday looks like it is going to be super tricky. [Editor’s note: Series organizers have moved the GP to Saturday at 3:10pm local time (GMT +11) due to forecast for extreme weather.]

Q: In Indonesia, you chased down race leaders Francesco Bagnaia and Maverick Vinales right to the checkered flag. How did you feel on the Yamaha M1 in Indonesia?

I felt great, but for us, overtaking was super difficult. In terms of speed, I think I was the fastest and hopefully we can find a solution really soon on trying to get more power out of the bike and to be able to overtake.

Q: With the ups and downs and an underpowered bike in 2023, has it been hard to remain positive with Yamaha?

Yes, we will try to stay positive. I think it’s really important for us to stay strong and positive because we know from the beginning of the year that we are suffering. We are able to fight for the podium and hopefully this weekend at Phillip Island we can fight for the podium again. Yeah, you have to give 100 percent. I’ve learned this year that whatever the situation you are in, whether it is for a win or for the podium or even P10, you have to give your maximum because at the end you know that you don’t have the best bike in the paddock, but at least you can prove your speed to yourself and this is very important.

Q: Honda exile Marc Marquez will line up with Ducati in MotoGP next season, which is sure to be a big change in the racing dynamics. Have you thought about next year at all?

Well, I think we know already that the eight Ducatis are on top. Marquez will be another Ducati rider on top. Of course Marc will be difficult to compete against, but we have to consider ourselves capable of fighting with them and hopefully we can.

Q: You have not won a Grand Prix since Germany in 2022. Can you still win one this season?

Hopefully. It has been a long time since I have not been on the top of the box. Of course I will give my 100 percent to win one. When I will win I do not know, but it will come because I think we are working pretty well and how I’m riding in these moments, I am at my best. Of course we have to stay motivated. Motorcycle racing I think is not only the team and not only the rider. It is many things combined and you have to get best of everything to be on top and we are working to always be at our best.

There is one side of the team that is struggling a little bit more to develop the bike, but we have to stay positive to at least the beginning of next year to see what they can brig. We have to stay positive for 2024. Of course there are many things that are not in my hands, but everything I can control I will try to always be at my top level and this is my personal goal this year.

Rins looks to take next step forward with LCR Honda at COTA MotoGP

Circuit of The Americas has been kind to Spanish MotoGP racer Alex Rins. Beginning with a Moto3 race win at COTA in 2013, Rins came back to win in the Moto2 class in 2016 before scoring the first MotoGP victory of his career at the Austin, Texas …

“Wow. Being here is phenomenal!” said the LCR Honda rider. “I really, really enjoy the times here. After Argentina, we came here to America. I spent one week in Miami with my wife and last Sunday we came to Austin.

“Yeah, I’ve done great here in the past,” noted Rins who was runner-up at COTA a year ago. “This year everything is new with the new bike and the new team, so let’s see where we can race.”

In the Portuguese and Argentina races thus far in 2023, Rins took 10th- and ninth-place finishes respectively.

“I’m quite good with the performance because we are doing a great job in developing the bike,” reckoned Rins. “For sure I would like to get a victory, but we will see.

“As far as the new sprint races, they are a bit tricky. Especially for me because with the new bike and with everything being new, it’s a little bit tough to get to know all of these things, but we have a lot of good potential for the championship.”

After a six-year MotoGP stint with Suzuki, Rins was forced to look elsewhere when the manufacturer withdrew from the world series. The 26 year-old signed a two-year deal with LCR Honda to race its RC213V.

“Well, you know the team is quite nice and the bike is starting to get better in every race,” he said. “However, the most important thing is that the team is taking a lot of good care of me. So for sure all of this helps me to be fast and to learn more about the bike, you know?

Rins has already taken note that the competition in the division, boasting upwards of 25 world class racers and 12 individual race teams, is at a level he has never before experienced.

“The competition this year is even harder than last year — every year the level is always going up and so now a lot of us racers are racing on the same tenth of a second. It’s tough, but it is fun.”

Has Rins been able to make up any sort of performance gap present within the RC213V?

“Yes!” he answered adamantly. “The team makes a big difference, but the rider must be 100-percent focused. You cannot do a big mistake, you know?

“First of all, we need to improve the bike and get closer to the top guys and see if we can improve with our results,” he concedes. “Let’s start with a podium and then let’s see if we can achieve a victory.”

Asked if he believed he could make a run at the title with LCR Honda, Rins was pragmatic. “This year? I don’t think so. Being in the top 10 I think is quite realistic and a good result. With the Suzuki I was with them for many years — for six seasons. I improved that bike a lot. I think I have a good sensibility with where I am at with everything.”

His first step toward that ultimate goal comes Sunday afternoon in Texas. What are his expectations?

“To win,” smiled Rins. “I would like to finish at the top because this track is amazing and I really like it, but let’s see if we can qualify well and we can do a good race.”