Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz has played down talk of Servus TV, the German commercial broadcaster owned by the energy drinks brand, acquiring the Austrian rights to the Formula One motor racing championship.
Public-service broadcaster ORF has held Austria’s live F1 broadcast rights since the 1960s and its current deal is due to run through to the end of the 2016 season.
However, ORF’s Formula One rights have previously come under question amid cost-cutting measures at the broadcaster.
Speaking to Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten, Mateschitz refused to discount a bid from Servus, but admitted: “I think ORF will renew.”