Belgian MEP calls for investigation into F1 owner Liberty Media

A member of the European Parliament has called on the European Commission to open an investigation into F1's owner, Liberty Media. 

Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont believes that Liberty's ownership of F1 and moves to acquire MotoGP may violate European competition laws, with Liberty also facing investigations in the United States by Congress and the Department of Justice.

Arimont, who represents the Christian Social Party in the European Parliament for the east of Belgium wants the executive branch of the EU to open an investigation as he belives Liberty could have breached competition rules "to protect consumers and ensure fair competition," according to Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg.

The concerns of the MEP stem from the fact that Liberty Media owns the commercial rights to F1, F2, and F3, and is also trying to secure MotoGP rights from Dorna. 

Liberty Global has a stake in Formula E, which Arimont believes means Liberty has a monopoly.

In the United States, Congress believes the blocking of Andretti's 2026 entry bid could be a violation of the 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act which prevents monopolies and means companies must allow free and fair competition. Andretti's 2026 rejection is believed by some members of the Senate and House, including the powerful Judiciary Committee chair Rep. Jim Jordan, to be in breach of the act.

Liberty itself is also under investigation by the DOJ, with its Live Nation-Ticketmaster division alleged to have displayed "exclusionary conduct and dominance across the live concert ecosystem which harms fans, innovation, artists, and venues."