Bernie Ecclestone claims the ownership of Formula 1 will change hands ‘this year’ with three parties showing an interest in buying the sport from its current owner, CVC Capital Partners.
Speaking via phone at the Camp Beckenbauer global summit on Tuesday, the 84-year-old revealed that he expects one of the three to make a move which would see CVC relinquish control of the sport.
“Our shareholders at the moment are in such a position where they have to lose some of their shares or all of them shortly, that’s the way things are set up for them,” he said.
“There has been a lot of interest and I would say there’s three at the moment, parties, that I’m surprised if one of them doesn’t buy very shortly.”
When asked within what timeframe he expected such a deal to take place, he replied: “This year.”
Ecclestone wasn’t drawn on the identity of those interest, but it’s believed an investment group led by Qatar and RSE Ventures, which owns the Miami Dolphins American football team, are one, whilst Liberty Media is likely to be another.
