Bernie: Against sale of F1 to News Corp.

Bernie Ecclestone says selling Formula One to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp would be "suicide" for the sport.

Reports of Murdoch's intentions to purchase F1 from CVC continued throughout the Turkish GP weekend with FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh revealing that the teams would be willing to listen to his proposal.


However, rumours that McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault will meet with News Corp executives was rubbished.
Another thing that has been rubbished, at least by Ecclestone, is the whole debate as he reckons it would be "suicidal."
"Murdoch hasn't got anything really big to drive their TV audiences and Formula 1 would be good for that," Ecclestone said.
"They have been trying to buy the TV rights from us for a long time but we won't because they are not free-to-air television broadcasters. They are a subscription service.
"Very recently they wanted to do something in Germany, in the UK and in Italy, where they are, but we couldn't do it.
"Sky is doing an incredible job but if you look at their audience figures they are nowhere.
"With these figures it would be almost impossible for teams to find sponsors. That would be suicidal."
The F1 supremo reiterated that CVC have no plans to sell the sport.
CVC has given their answer. They are the major shareholders and they do not want to sell. That is 100 per cent for sure.
"Somebody might say that they want to do it, but it doesn't mean that when somebody wants to buy something the owner wants to sell.
"And CVC made it very clear that they don't want to sell.
"If people don't want to sell, others have to accept that fact. It's as simple as that."
"The teams should be happy to have somebody like CVC not selling to the wrong people, trying to maintain a good level for them and supporting me so that I can go to work and earn some money for the teams."