Thursday 8 September 2016 16:56, UK
Formula 1's buyout by Liberty Media is "a positive step" for the sport, according to McLaren.
The US firm has bought F1 in a £6bn deal, bosses confirmed on Wednesday, meaning CVC Capital Partners is handing over its ownership after taking a controlling stake in 2005.
A McLaren spokesman told Sky F1: "It is obviously a significant development, which has only just occurred, but from what we already understand we are confident that it will be a positive step for Formula 1."
Liberty is backed by John Malone, the American media tycoon. Sources have previously said the takeover will see the sport gain a public stock listing for the first time through a tracking stock called Liberty Media Group.
A takeover will yield a windfall of more than $400m (£300m) for veteran F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who owns a 5.3 per cent stake.
The 85-year-old will remain in his role it has been confirmed - at least for a transitional period of a few years.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, meanwhile, believes Liberty Media will be able to help grow the sport into new markets and attract new fans.
"Liberty are probably the best buyers for F1," Horner told Sky News. "The prospects with the expertise they have, particularly on digital platforms, social platforms and the US market are all areas that F1 has been historically weak in.
"It's a new era that we're moving into and its crucial that those areas are capitalised and maximised for F1 to reach a broader spectrum of fans."
Force India deputy principal Bob Fernley, meanwhile, is hopeful that the takeover will help create a more level playing field on the grid.
"The philosophy of American sports franchises is to try and keep it as equal as possible and as competitive as possible," he told Reuters.
"So I'm hopeful that, as an American company with good knowledge of sports franchises, that will be one of their key objectives - to create as level a playing field as possible."
While Sky F1's Martin Brundle also hopes that Liberty Media can help to grow the sport.
"I'm hoping they can view it in a longer term way than we've seen in recent years, and start to build the sport up," Brundle told Sky Sports News HQ.
"Not necessarily just as a cash cow but as a way of bringing something new, and understanding the way global sport and media is changing, and how to monetise that and how to maximise it all for the good of F1."
