F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone yesterday said that the series "could be sold this year and there are three interested buyers," according to Rob Harris of the AP. Ecclestone did not identify the potential new owners but said that he "wants to remain in his current role, running F1 on a day-to-day basis." F1's "largest and controlling shareholder" is CVC Capital Partners. Ecclestone when asked about the prospect of F1 being sold this year said, "I think so, maybe this year" (AP, 10/6). In London, Kevin Eason notes CVC has "been seen as reluctant sellers." But it is an "open secret" that CVC is "tired of the swirl of poor publicity that surrounds F1 and now the threat of a European Union competition commission investigation adds a new layer of complexity that the private equity fund may be keen to avoid." Even though F1 "has been through turbulent times, potential investors are attracted by F1's global reach and its ability to churn profits." CVC is "thought to have netted as much" as $6.1B (all figures U.S.) since buying the series in '06 for $1.5B (LONDON TIMES, 10/7). ESPN.com's Nate Saunders notes Ecclestone has a 5.3% stake in F1, while CVC has a controlling 35.5% stake (ESPN.com, 10/7).
