Formula 1 Could Go Private Within Two Years, Maffei Says
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 12, 2026
Formula 1 private
That prospect would mark another major turn in the sport’s corporate history after Liberty Media’s long run of ownership. Maffei said Formula 1’s EBITDA has tripled in eight or nine years, but he does not expect that pace to hold. He called that stretch the period when “the easy money’s been made,” and said it is unlikely the series can match that kind of expansion again. Even so, the numbers still point to a business with enormous value. Maffei said a deal could value Formula 1 at about $30 billion, while the series’ market capitalization has climbed to almost $28 billion. Liberty Media’s F1 stock has risen nearly 300% since the acquisition, a jump that underscores how much the asset has appreciated since Liberty bought Formula 1 in 2017 for an enterprise value of $8 billion. The comments frame a business that has already delivered a huge return and may still have room for more, but on a slower path than the one that has taken it this far. Maffei’s remarks also made clear that the next phase of the conversation centers less on rapid expansion and more on timing, ownership structure and what a private transaction might actually look like if one moves forward.
Liberty Media control
The ownership picture around Liberty Media also changed when John Malone recently stepped down as chairman emeritus of the company and reduced his voting power from 48% to 3%. The stock swap that cut his control came after unsolicited offers for Malone’s controlling stake, a sign that outside interest has already begun to shape the discussion around Liberty’s assets. That shift matters because Formula 1 sits at the center of Liberty Media’s sports portfolio, and any change in control would carry implications far beyond a simple stock move. Malone’s reduced voting power removes a major layer of influence from the company’s structure. Maffei’s comments about a possible private deal arrive against that backdrop, where the business has become far more valuable and the governance questions are more complicated than they were when Liberty first bought the series. It also helps explain why the conversation around Formula 1 now blends valuation, ownership and strategy into one question, with the series’ future tied directly to the broader Liberty Media structure.
Braves public
Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang said there is no immediate plan to sell Formula 1, and he added that any ownership change would need approval from the FIA. He also said Liberty’s board would have to evaluate any offer in shareholders’ best interests, a reminder that even a widely discussed transaction would still face multiple layers of review before anything changed. Maffei also said he expects the Atlanta Braves to remain public, which keeps one of Liberty Media’s other sports holdings on a different path from Formula 1. Investor Chris Marangi said he hopes both Liberty Media assets stay public because public sports investments are scarce, a view that highlights why these businesses draw so much attention from the market. Taken together, the comments show a company weighing the value of its sports properties while keeping the door open to a range of outcomes. Formula 1 has grown into one of the most valuable properties in sports, and that growth has invited questions about whether Liberty can maximize its return by holding it public or taking it private. For now, Chang’s position points to no immediate sale, while Maffei’s remarks show that a private path remains possible if the right offer and approvals emerge.
