- Ezpeleta ‘would like to know who is spreading’ rumours
- A promising 2023 season has seen renewed optimism for the series
Dorna chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta has confirmed rumours that the organisation that runs MotoGP is up for sale.
Ezpeleta has overseen a resurgence for the series in 2023, with attendances and TV viewership trending upwards after fallow years in the wake of Valentino Rossi’s retirement.
“I confirm the rumours of sale, but I would like to know who is spreading them,” he told Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
“Every day I receive two or three phone calls from credit institutions asking me if it is true that we are for sale.
“But, the banks do not want to buy, they only offer themselves as intermediaries of the operation. I can only say that we are ready. We stayed with our first investors from 1998 to 2006: eight years.”
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He added: “Then came Bridgepoint, which made some changes and 17 more went through.
“Currently about 20 per cent of Dorna is owned by its workers, and I have the majority; 39 per cent are from Bridgepoint; 38 per cent of a Canadian public fund. Anything can happen, at any time, but it hasn’t happened yet.
“They certainly like the product and the formula works with the sprints.”
BlackBook says…
It’s far too early to say that MotoGP is in rude health, but a promising 2023 season has prompted newfound optimism in the series.
In many ways, MotoGP resembles Formula One just before it was sold to Liberty Media for US$4.4 billion in 2016.
Of course, the global motorcycling series won’t command a fee quite that high, but MotoGP’s potential is clear to see for investors, especially in the US after the addition of Trackhouse Racing ahead of the 2024 season.