Amid Formula 1's enormous current crisis it's just as well the man who ultimately calls the shots has always been willing to take on a challenge. When, at the age of 15, John Malone bought a Jaguar XK120 with a seized gearbox, it seemed unlikely the repair he carried out would become a metaphor for his career.
Influenced by his engineer father Daniel, a teenage Malone set about stripping the engine and transmission until he discovered a broken gear. Neighbours in Milford, Connecticut, were soon paying him to repair their own cars.
This was an early insight into a man who would make billions building and rebuilding businesses - unafraid of complexity, relishing the opportunity to unlock value others failed to see. All the same, lying under that XK120 back in 1956, it's doubtful that Malone could imagine one day owning Formula 1.