Rumours that Liberty Media may look to sell at least part of their stake in Formula 1 is not surprising Russia's motorsport president Igor Yermilin.
A Wall Street website claimed the American company, which only fully completed their takeover of the sport two years ago, may be looking to remove or at least reduce exposure to the only loss-making asset on their books.
Amid a period of recent unrest from several directions at the leadership shown by CEO Chase Carey and others, Yermilin believes such a move would only be natural.
"The situation is completely expected," he told Russia's Sportbox publication. "The current management wanted to start improving Formula 1 but it turned out to be a lot more difficult.
"They have neither the experience nor the ability to finely control the process, as Bernie Ecclestone did and all the uncertainties that arise in such a situation generate the rumours.
"All the loud statements from Liberty Media are slowly stopping and now we hear almost nothing from them.
"There are still no new technical regulations, the Concorde Agreement expires soon but that is not very clear, and there are problems with the original promoters who have had Grands Prix for decades," Yermilin concluded.
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Liberty has invested strongly into F1 to try and modernise the commercial structure and capitalise on previously untapped areas, however, having paid $8bn for the sport, the Russian motorsport head doubts any value has been added.
"It is very difficult to find a buyer who is ready to spend the amount the Americans would need after everything they have spent," he said.
"They would need to sell it more expensively than they bought it, but there is hardly anyone who is ready to do that."
