Liberty Media, the U.S.-based company that owns Formula 1, has finally received approval from the European Commission to buy Dorna Sports, the company behind the MotoGP racing series. The deal was first announced in April 2024 and had been under review for over a year.

On Monday, the Commission confirmed that the takeover can go ahead without any conditions. In a public statement, the EU said the deal would not harm competition across Europe and poses no risk to the sports broadcasting system in the region.

The approval follows an in-depth investigation that began in December 2024. EU officials were concerned the deal might give Liberty Media too much control over motorsport broadcasting in Europe, where it already owns the rights to Formula 1. The review also looked at whether Liberty’s top shareholder, John Malone, who also has a large stake in Liberty Global, might use his influence to block rival broadcasters in countries like Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Now that the investigation is complete and the deal has been cleared, Liberty Media will acquire 86% of Dorna Sports for around $4.2 billion. The remaining 14% will stay with Dorna’s senior leadership, including longtime CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Managing Director Enrique Aldama, who will continue to run the company.

The next step will be to combine forces. Executives from Liberty and Dorna are planning to form a working group that will begin shaping the future of MotoGP. Their first major meeting is expected to take place in Madrid, where Dorna is based, in July 2025.

A New Chapter for MotoGP

Liberty Media says it sees huge potential in MotoGP, both as a sport and as a global business. With its experience growing the popularity of Formula 1, Liberty believes it can help MotoGP expand into new markets, attract more viewers, and increase sponsorship deals, especially in the United States, where motorcycle racing has not yet reached the popularity of other motorsports.

“The business has significant growth potential,” Liberty Media said in a previous statement. “We aim to drive the sport’s growth for MotoGP fans, teams, commercial partners, and shareholders.”

The takeover ends a long period of uncertainty for Dorna’s staff. Over the past year, many departments, especially the commercial team that sells TV rights, manages sponsors, and promotes the races, have been unsure about the company’s future direction.

At the recent Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, Dorna brought together all 11 MotoGP team owners for a group photo with CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. The image is expected to mark the symbolic transition into the Liberty Media era.

Following the Formula 1 Path

Liberty Media’s success with Formula 1 provides a possible roadmap for MotoGP’s future. Since buying F1 in 2016, Liberty has transformed the sport with digital content, Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, better social media outreach, and efforts to grow the fanbase, particularly in the U.S. and among younger audiences.

MotoGP insiders hope Liberty can repeat that success. While MotoGP has a loyal global fanbase, many believe the sport hasn’t yet reached its full commercial potential.

With fresh investment, new strategies, and Liberty’s experience, the next few years could be a turning point for the two-wheeled world championship.