Dorna, the company responsible for managing MotoGP, will continue to operate independently under the ownership of Liberty Media’s Formula One Group. The company will remain headquartered in Madrid, and Carmelo Ezpeleta will continue as CEO. This news marks a significant milestone for MotoGP and is expected to bring positive changes for Dorna, the MotoGP community, and sports fans, according to Ezpeleta.
Under the agreement, Liberty Media will acquire approximately 86% of Dorna, while the Dorna management team will retain about 14% of the company’s equity. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The statement released by the parties involved values Dorna/MotoGP at 4.2 billion euros in terms of enterprise value and 3.5 billion euros in terms of equity value.
In addition to MotoGP, Dorna Sports also oversees the World Superbike Championship and MotoE, a series of fully electric races. Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP is seen as a positive move to expand its portfolio of live sports and entertainment assets. Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Media, expressed excitement for the future growth of MotoGP, aiming to benefit fans, teams, commercial partners, and shareholders.
It is worth noting that this acquisition may face regulatory scrutiny due to previous conditions imposed on the sale of Formula 1 by CVC Capital Partners to Liberty Media in 2017. In 2006, when CVC Capital Partners acquired Formula 1, they were required to divest from Dorna. The Bridgepoint Group, a British private investment company, owned approximately 40% of Dorna before this acquisition. In 2012, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) bought a 39% stake in Bridgepoint, while the remaining shares were held by Dorna’s management team. After the acquisition, the ownership of Dorna’s management team decreased to 14%. Chiranjit Ojha reported on this development.
