Almost three years into its 75 per cent ownership of the commercial rights to Formula One, the CVC Capital Partners private equity group has become all too aware of the Machiavellian relationships, wheeler-dealing, back- and even front-stabbing endemic in the world’s top echelon of motor sport.

Recently, Nicholas Clarry, managing director of CVC’s UK operations and the man holding the F1 chalice, found himself publicly denying that the group was about to call a plague on F1’s house, sell up and get out.