Liberty Media-owned System One has accused FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of interfering with its business rights by publicly questioning a reported $20 billion valuation of the game.
Ben Sulayem, an Emirati elected in 2021 to the highest job at System One’s governing physique, took to Twitter on Monday after Globalnews24.eu reported Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund (PIF) explored a bid for greater than that quantity.
‘Because the custodians of motorsport, the FIA, as a non-profit organisation, is cautious about alleged inflated value tags of $20bn being placed on F1,’ Ben Sulayem stated on his private account.
F1 ruler Mohammed ben Sulayem used Twitter to assert the sequence wasn’t value $20bn
‘Any potential purchaser is suggested to use widespread sense, take into account the higher good of the game and include a transparent, sustainable plan — not simply some huge cash.’
He advised the FIA had an obligation to think about the doable damaging impression on followers and promoters, who may need to pay extra.
The feedback adopted his help this month for Michael Andretti’s bid to enter an eleventh workforce on the grid — a transfer most current groups are immune to due to the dilution of revenues.
In addition they gas the sense of an rising turf struggle between the governing physique and a business rights holder desirous to develop an increasing and more and more well-liked championship in new instructions.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund (PIF) reportedly explored a takeover bid of F1
Sky Sports activities Information reported that System One’s authorized head Sacha Woodward Hill and Liberty Media counterpart Renee Wilm had despatched a joint letter to the FIA accusing the governing physique of exceeding its remit.
The FIA finally owns the rights to the championship however signed them over to former supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s System One Administration in a 100-year deal in 2001 as a part of a separation of economic and regulatory actions.
‘The FIA has given unequivocal undertakings that it’ll not do something to prejudice the possession, administration and/or exploitation of these rights,’ Sky quoted System One’s letter as saying.
‘We take into account that these feedback, produced from the FIA president’s official social media account, intrude with these rights in an unacceptable method.’
The letter, despatched to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, stated the feedback risked publicity to ‘severe regulatory penalties’ and the FIA may be liable.
‘Any particular person or organisation commenting on the worth of a listed entity or its subsidiaries, particularly claiming or implying possession of inside data whereas doing so, dangers inflicting substantial injury to the shareholders and traders of that entity,’ they stated.
Sources confirmed to Globalnews24.eu that the main points have been appropriate and groups obtained copies of the letter on Tuesday from F1 chief govt Stefano Domenicali.
There was no remark from System One and no quick response from the FIA
