The CEO of Liberty Media, the owner of Formula 1, has confirmed that the organisation is currently under investigation by the United States Justice Department.
This investigation was triggered way back in May, after several members of the U.S. Congress and Senate expressed their dissatisfaction with Formula 1's decision to prevent the American racing group Andretti-Cadillac from joining the sport. They voiced their "concerns with the apparent anti-competitive actions that could prevent two American companies ... from producing and competing in Formula 1".
During the latest earnings call, Liberty's CEO Greg Maffei acknowledged the ongoing scrutiny from the Department of Justice. "There is a Department of Justice investigation," he confirmed, as reported by the New York Times.
"We intend to fully cooperate with that investigation, including any related requests for information," Maffei stated.
He further clarified Liberty's position, asserting that the decision to exclude Andretti-Cadillac did not contravene "applicable US anti-trust laws" and expressed his belief that increasing the number of teams isn't necessarily "wrong".
"There is a methodology for expansion that requires approval of the FIA and the F1, and both groups have to find the criteria met," Maffei explained.
"We're certainly open to new entrants making applications and potentially being approved if those requirements are met."
