The boss of Formula E, Alejandro Agag, is urging the European Commission to investigate Liberty Media's acquisition of the MotoGP series, warning that the deal could give the US-based company "very significant" power.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Agag raised concerns over Liberty's growing influence, noting that the company already owns Formula 1. "The leverage that this merger will give the resulting entity in terms of negotiating with broadcasters will be significant," Agag explained. He believes that "the European Commission will look very carefully at this deal."
While Agag is not directly calling for the deal to be blocked, he insists there must be "proper remedies to guarantee fairness in the market" if the acquisition proceeds.
Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has acknowledged that the MotoGP acquisition is subject to regulatory approval. "From the point of view of competition law, I think there are significant challenges," Agag remarked, noting potential issues with competition regulations.
Interestingly, Liberty Global, which is linked to Liberty Media, took a controlling stake in Agag's Formula E series earlier this year. While Liberty Global declined to comment on Agag's statements, a Formula E spokesperson noted, "As a former politician, Alejandro has a strong personal interest in antitrust issues and was expressing his own views. We generally don't comment on prospective deals."
