U.S.-based Liberty Media's purchase of F1 "bodes well for Circuit of the Americas" and the city of Austin, according to Kevin Lyttle of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. COTA Chair Bobby Epstein on Thursday said F1's "commitment to the U.S. will be even stronger, which is good for us. ... An American owner, armed with the knowledge and combined with the appeal of F1, has a chance to make it work in this country.” Epstein said the new owners will "take advantage of" F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone's strengths. Epstein: "They’ll look hard at how they can promote the sport on a broader scale.” But Epstein "believes there is still one key missing ingredient" to help boost F1 in the U.S. He said, "For the sport in this country, you have to take a very long-term view. You cannot instantly create fans. What we really need is an American (driver) champion. A terrific formula would be combining American entertainment ingenuity with an American champion. That would take it to the next level.” Epstein said ticket sales for this year’s U.S. Grand Prix on Oct. 23 are "going great and pushing our year 1 totals.” Taylor Swift will "do a concert on qualifying day, Oct. 22," while The Weeknd will do the post-race concert (STATESMAN.com, 9/8). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Zekaria & Clark write the '70s "may be the last time many Americans paid close attention" to F1 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/9).
TRANSITION TIME: In London, Kevin Eason notes FIA President Jean Todt, whose organization is the governing body for F1, "disclosed that he was not consulted by Liberty Media as negotiations for the takeover took place." However, Todt is "not expected to block the buyout, which has been broadly welcomed across the sport" (LONDON TIMES, 9/9). MOTORSPORT.com's Adam Cooper noted Todt "acknowledged Liberty’s expertise in sports and media." Todt said that he "looked forward to working with the company" (MOTORSPORT.com, 9/8).
FIGHTING FOR POLE POSITION? The TIMES' Eason notes Ecclestone "will sell" his 1.2% stake in F1's holding company, Delta Topco, "netting himself" US$72M. Now he "will have to find a way" of working with new F1 Chair Chase Carey (LONDON TIMES, 9/9). The FINANCIAL TIMES' Matthew Garrahan notes Ecclestone has run the sport in his "own way for the past 30 years but this is unlikely to cause any concern" to Carey, who will have "free rein to strike his own commercial rights and media deals." Carey is a "calm, steadying figure" and was a "regular presence" on Fox earnings calls. His "somnolent tones and tendency to delve into the most granular aspects of operations" made him "popular with market analysts." He is "revered on Wall Street" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/9).
