F1 Unity Over Division: Liberty Media Pledges No Return to Ecclestone’s Tactics in New Concorde Agreement Talks

F1 asserts that Bernie Ecclestone's strategy of "divide and conquer" will not be replicated. "The previous administration devoted significant effort to pitting the teams against one another."

The CEO of Liberty Media has pledged to avoid reverting to Bernie Ecclestone's strategy of "divide and conquer" in securing the upcoming Concorde Agreement.

Discussions are in progress for drafting a new Concorde Agreement, a vital contract that establishes guidelines for Formula 1 both on the track and off it, from 2026 to 2030.

Traditionally, discussions surrounding this deal have proven challenging, as Formula 1 teams and the sport compete for significant financial stakes.

In 2017, the head of the Formula One Group, Chase Carey, remarked on the approach of his predecessor by stating: "Bernie adopted a strategy of division and control, keeping matters tightly held, whereas we aim for a collaborative ethos where the competition is confined to the racetrack."

"The groups involved, including the teams, organizers, Formula One, and the FIA, are united in their future outlook for the sport, aiming to develop it in a manner that benefits all parties involved."

In Monaco last weekend, Motorsport quoted Liberty Media's CEO, Greg Maffei, who mentioned, "The previous leadership invested considerable effort in promoting competition among the teams.

"Often, their focus was on outdoing one another rather than considering ways to expand the sport."

"We've made an effort to emulate, in certain respects, the approach of the NFL in the United States: engage in fierce competition on Sunday, but prioritize the league's interests starting Monday.

"We are genuinely interested in expanding the sport collaboratively."

"The squads have fully adopted this approach, benefiting significantly as a result. This is evident not just in the increased Formula 1 income and their portion of the earnings through sponsorship deals, but also in the rising value of the teams themselves."

Toto Wolff from Mercedes has commented on the initial discussions regarding the 2026 Concorde Agreement, stating, "I believe we've understood the fundamental conditions as envisioned by Formula One for the upcoming five-year period."

"There's a bit of positivity inside."

Christian Horner of Red Bull mentioned, "The typical negotiations will occur, with teams seeking greater benefits and the event organizer aiming for more as well, but overall, our current system functions quite effectively."

"In my opinion, the fundamental aspects are quite robust. As the sport progresses and expands, there are opportunities for us to refine the agreement accordingly."

"However, I believe the core principle behind it will focus on refinement instead of a radical change."

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