Bernie Ecclestone thinks News Corp has lost interest in buying F1.
Before the phone-hacking scandal stepped into a high gear earlier this year, the Rupert Murdoch-led media conglomerate and the Ferrari-linked Exor company announced they were looking at “formulating a long-term plan for the development of formula one”.
But F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who was never supportive of News/Exor’s apparent interest in buying the commercial rights currently owned by CVC, has now revealed that the consortium “has not made a return visit” since then.
However, the 80-year-old Briton said CVC might be interested in selling to someone else.
“I have no doubt in my mind that if somebody came along with a respectable, sensible offer they would probably say let’s have a chat,” Ecclestone told LondonlovesBusiness.
“I think one or two people have come along with an offer they probably thought was sensible but CVC didn’t,” he added.
It has even been rumoured that Ecclestone might be interested in buying back the sport.
“It isn’t likely that I would buy F1 back and I can’t imagine taking back majority control,” he insisted. “CVC would want what it is worth and I wouldn’t want to pay what it is worth.
“Not that it is not worth it but it would be a lot of money. It’s a big thing to hang around your neck at my age,” said Ecclestone.
Source:GMM
