Marco Bezzecchi
Following Guenther Steiner’s takeover of Tech3, announced last week, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have also emerged as interested candidates to venture into the world of MotoGP as team owners.
Hamilton was previously in talks with Gresini and KTM over a deal which would see him lead the team in the future. Neither of the deals ended up getting over the line, with Gresini asking for too high of a price and KTM not interested in another investor.
MotoGP fans weren’t too happy with Steiner’s takeover, mainly due to his eccentric personality in F1’s docuseries, Drive to Survive. Avid fans of Grand Prix motorcycle racing also aren’t sure about Steiner’s credentials to lead a team in a completely different category of motorsport.
Liberty Media have hatched a plan for a similar MotoGP series, with Steiner’s acquisition of the team reportedly being the first step of the company’s plan to grow the sport in a similar fashion to what F1 has experienced in recent years.
READ MORE: Moto2 team owner shares what Gresini told Lewis Hamilton after lucrative takeover offer
Sylvain Guintoli notes the ‘massive growth’ potential that MotoGP has with Liberty Media
Former rider turned pundit Sylvain Guintoli was asked about the recent connections between Hamilton and Verstappen buying into MotoGP, with a number of teams currently on the table.
Speaking during TNT Sports’ coverage of FP1 at Misano (10:15 12/09), Guintoli shared his insight, stating, “There’s big numbers floating around as well, big enough to make anybody think about it. Of course, you’ve got the passion of racing, and there’s also the prospect now with Liberty Media coming in.
“This is why these offers are coming in, there is a potential for massive growth in the value of the teams on the grid. I suppose it comes down to a personal choice, and that’s what we’ve seen with Tech3, with Herve Poncharal deciding to step away and sell his team.
“Other private teams want to be there because they want to see it through; they’re not ready to go yet. But, they’re being tempted with big offers. That’s what we’re hearing.”
The Red Bull F1 driver, Verstappen, could experience Guintoli’s comments firsthand. A recent report about the owner of Trackhouse, the team that the Dutchman is interested in, stated that he is determined to continue with their current project in the premier class.
READ MORE: What Max Verstappen has privately said to Valentino Rossi as he looks to invest in MotoGP
Michael Laverty believes it’s only a matter of time before Liberty Media make its mark on MotoGP
Following Guintoli’s comments on TNT Sports, former MotoGP rider Michael Laverty also shared his views on the impact that Liberty Media has already had on how premier class teams are being viewed by outside investors.
“If you look at the growth of every team in terms of its value, it’s more than 10x the numbers of the Formula 1 teams and made some serious money for the individuals involved,” Laverty noted.
“I think that’s why a lot of these consortiums are led by F1 people, they knew what Liberty are capable of, and they expect a similar type of upturn here in MotoGP.
“Obviously, the changes aren’t huge at the moment. It’s still very Dorna-led and driven, but Liberty will put their fingerprint and stamp on this series before too long.”
Despite the massive growth potential of the two-wheeled series, Verstappen has been warned about the MotoGP sponsor market. LCR owner Lucio Cecchinello stated that the current state of the market is a ‘mess’ after the emergence of the Red Bull driver’s interest.
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