...By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, two of the world’s richest men, are reportedly considering investing in Formula One (F1).
The tech billionaires made their fortunes in Amazon and PayPal, and electric car company Tesla, respectively.
Bezos was spotted speaking with McLaren engineers, while Musk conversed with Red Bull Racing Chief Christian Horner during the Miami Grand Prix.
Fellow tech CEO, Apple’s Tim Cook, is also said to be taking a keener interest in the sport, having watched the United States GP last year.
The attention from these tech giants in the sport suggests that America is increasingly embracing all things technology in F1.
However, they would have to convince F1’s owners, Liberty Media, to sell the racing company to them.
Liberty Media purchased F1 for £4.4 billion, and its value has since jumped to £17 billion.
However, its contract is up in 2025, and insiders believe that they might be open to selling the company as internal parties seek to consolidate the sport.
Despite this, Liberty Media rejected a $20 billion bid from Saudi Arabia in January 2023.
Musk revealed his plans for the sport when he met Horner and Red Bull Racing team drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
He shared a snap with them on Twitter, writing, “Fun discussion of aero & battery technology in F1.
I proposed a pure EV (Electric Vehicle) vs. gas/hybrid F1 race.”
Musk’s interest in sports grew after he purchased social media website Twitter in October 2022.
The two billionaires’ interest in F1 suggests that they are looking to diversify their portfolios by investing in the sport.
