Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is ready to quit if Rupert Murdoch's media group succeeds in a bid to take control of the sport, the Sunday Times reported.
Ecclestone, 80, who has previously dismissed the idea of retirement, said in an interview with the newspaper: "I'm old enough to get a pension, so I don't have to get a job. I'd have to be sure the people (who end up owning F1) are people I would like to work with and whether they would want to work with me."
Separate sources had previously said that private equity firm CVC, the current owner, was conducting a strategic review and could sell.
A takeover by News Corp has a clear logic but would face many challenges to secure the backing of the sport's high profile players.
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