Formula One needs something of a fresh start. And while the focus has been on changes to the sporting and technical regulations to shake up the action on track in future, or hand-wringing over the financial agreements we appear to be stuck with until the end of the decade, a possible change of ownership could be just what the sport needs.
While CVC were never the most popular people in the paddock, their stock has collapsed in F1 circles in recent years - the private equity firm have been called a disaster, accused of raping the sport, and suffered swathes of negative coverage (if only in the specialist motorsport media).
Even if it weren't coming up to CVC's ten-year anniversary in the sport, it is clearly time to leave, with one company insider telling The Guardian: "We should get out. We've been in Formula One for far too long. This deal makes sense for a dollar buyer because they will be paying less than they would have done six or nine months ago."
A wind of change has been blowing through the paddock in recent months, with Bernie Ecclestone and Red Bull pulling a two-pronged Ratner attack that has only increased in severity, while the 'big four' teams (including Red Bull) have been meeting privately to discuss what many believe is a takeover bid.
News of the likely forthcoming EU investigation brought with it the gossip that the driving force behind the bid was the unlikeliest of hands using the complaint to set up the chessboard advantageously, while more than one outfit has been subject to a hostile takeover attempt already this year.
Until a bid for the sport is formally accepted, it is worth treating any and all news reports with a healthy dose of scepticism - however well researched, so much of F1 involves using the media to personal/business advantage as a means of applying pressure that even the most seasoned observers can struggle to sort the wheat from the chaff.
The rumoured Qatar-Ross bid certainly looks to be strong - the money is there, the experience in sports marketing is there, and the FIA's existing strong relationship with the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation could help calm the troubled waters that currently exist between F1's major stakeholders.
But Liberty's John Malone - first linked with an interest in F1 ownership in February 2014 - still has an offer on the table, and it is said to be higher than that offered by the Qatar-Ross bid. Malone also has the financial credentials to support his bid, and the US telecoms giant has ample outlets through which to promote - and profit from - Formula One.
While the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, it seems impossible that either of the current named bidders would do a worse job of ownership than CVC have managed.
Stephen Ross has long since demonstrated his ability to make money from team ownership, and with RSE Ventures he has a company well-versed in profiting from sports and entertainment. Similarly, Malone has built a fortune from media and broadcasting, and is in a strong position to use his existing networks to increase F1's footprint Stateside.
Both bids have the potential to profit from Formula One, and both bidders have shown a past willingness to invest in infrastructure with a view to making long-term returns. Without counting too many pre-hatched chickens, if either bid is successful, we could well be nearing the end of the era of rape and plunder.