Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s consultant, weighed in on the reports that Saudi Arabia may be interested in buying Formula 1, claiming sale of the sport to a culturally different country isn’t good.
Recently, reports have emerged claiming that Saudi Arabia, through its Public Investment Fund (PIF), is interested in buying Formula 1 off Liberty Media at a whopping $20-Billion.
That has started a sequence of events, especially as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayam commented on the reports claiming the value of the sport mentioned in the reports was inflated, something Liberty Media did not take lightly, their legal team sending a strong-worded letter to the FIA, warning its President from interfering in the commercial side of the sport, labeling his comments “unacceptable”.
Now, Red Bull consultant, Helmut Marko, has given his opinion on the possibility of Formula 1 becoming Saudi-owned, speaking to RTL, claiming interest in buying the sport is a “good sign”.
F1 more likely to be sold to meone who meets normal corporate standards
But then Marko warned: “I think it wouldn’t be so good if it went to a country that is culturally different from where most of the races take place.
“And generally it’s a commercial thing, and that’s more likely to happen with someone who meets normal corporate standards, if you want to put it that way,” he added.
The Austrian also gave his opinion on another controversial subject that will be in the spotlight during the 2023 F1 season, and that is the FIA decision to ban drivers from expressing their political opinion.
Marko isn’t happy with that decision; he said: “This decision is clearly wrong. [Drivers] are responsible citizens who are in the global public eye and know-how, and what, they have to say.
“In general, we are in a democratic society and everyone can express their opinion,” the 79-year-old insisted.
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