Formula 1 sold for £6bn

US firm Liberty Media has bought Formula 1 in a £6bn deal, bosses have confirmed.

CVC Capital Partners are handing over their ownership after taking a controlling stake in 2005.

Liberty is backed by John Malone, the American media tycoon.

Sources have previously said the takeover will see the sport gain a public stock listing for the first time through a tracking stock called Liberty Media Group.

A takeover will yield a windfall of more than $400m (£300m) for veteran F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who owns a 5.3 per cent stake.

The 85-year-old will remain in his role at least for a transitional period of a few years.

In a statement, he said: “I would like to welcome Liberty Media and Chase Carey to Formula One and I look forward to working with them.”

Ecclestone has been the face of Formula 1 for decades.
Ecclestone has been the face of Formula 1 for decades.

A frenetic period for the ownership and management of F1 will also involve Chase Carey, a former DirecTV and News Corporation executive.

Mr Carey, who continues to serve on the board of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox and is also a director of Sky plc has been made chairman.

He said: “I greatly admire Formula One as a unique global sports entertainment franchise attracting hundreds of millions of fans each season from all around the world.”

“I see great opportunity to help Formula One continue to develop and prosper for the benefit of the sport, fans, teams and investors alike.”

The deal will be completed in two phases.

The first tranche will involve the acquisition of an 18.7 per cent stake of F1 and will not be subject to regulatory conditions.

The remainder of the deal will see Liberty Media Corp acquiring the remaining 81.3 per cent of the company, which would be subject to the approval of certain regulators as well as the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body.

This is a significant move for Formula 1 however the deal is unlikely to be completed for a few months yet.

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