Exclusive – Allen: News Corp’s interest in F1 won’t end despite CVC claim

Formula One expert James Allen says we have not heard the end of News Corp’s interest in taking over the sport.

F1's owner CVC Capital Partners have insisted the sport is not for sale after Rupert Murdoch’s media giant and Italian investment firm Exor announced they were working on a joint bid.

A statement from CVC, of which Bernie Ecclestone is chief executive, read: “Capital Partners CVC can confirm that it has recently received an approach from the Exor News Corporation consortium.

“James Murdoch has informed us that the approach is friendly, at a very preliminary stage, and that they acknowledge that Formula 1 is privately owned by CVC and not currently for sale.”

But Allen is adamant that will not be the end of the matter, telling talkSPORT: “I don’t think it’s going to end there.

“As far as CVC, which is a venture capitalist firm that owns the commercial rights to Formula One, saying it’s not for sale I’m not so sure that is the case. They are in business to make money.

“The indications I’m getting are that some sort of deal is going to get done. Whether it is the whole thing or part of it I don’t know but there is some activity."