The finances of MotoGP are murky at best, but the picture will become clearer if Liberty Media’s impending takeover goes through. If approved by EU regulators, Liberty will pay a reported €4.2 billion (US$4.5 billion) to acquire approximately 86 per cent of the shares in Dorna, which will retain around 14 per cent of equity in the business.
Currently, the series’ commercial rights are controlled by Dorna, which in turn is majority owned by Global Racing LX2. This organisation’s ownership is split between Bridgepoint (70%) and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (30%). The remainder of Dorna’s shares are split between multiple companies and Dorna management, including chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta.
