Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone attempted to qualify for a single World Championship event. He was in a Connaught-Alta, one of a fleet of three entered by himself. He finished qualifying 265.2 seconds off the pace, and his two team-mates failed to qualify as well.

He is, however, the most important single person in Grand Prix history. He took charge of Motor Racing Developments in 1972, from Ron Tauranac. He was the team principal for Nelson Piquet's two drivers' titles, but he'd lost interest by the time Brabham missed the deadline to enter the 1988 World Championship.

Into the governance of the sport he went, and he modernised it, and quickly controlled Formula One. He is now the leader of a billion-dollar industry. He is a divisive figure, but he's not done badly for someone who was four minutes off the pace on a Saturday in Monaco.
 
On the witness stand today Bernie is asked why he chose to pay Gribkowsky's bribe. He replied using the analogy of being threatened by someone to expose a fake extra-marital affair.

He said he finds it easier to pay someone off when threatened rather than reporting blackmail attempts to the police and that would be the case if he was blackmailed over an affair.

Asked if he was being serious about that he replied "Have you seen my wife?!"
 
Let me see if I have this right. CVC got a good deal to purchase the F1 rights providing they kept Bernie as the boss. If this turns out to be an illegal move then CVC get to fire Bernie.

Win win situation for CVC.
 
Surely, if Bernie is found guilty then CVC were/are complicit in illegal practices?

Now what is that law that covers the proceed of crime and its seizure?
 
"We could have a transitional period. It needs someone who knows the sport. If someone comes in from the outside, a corporate type, I don't think I could work with them. They wouldn't last five minutes. I don't want anyone who is a corporate type.

"People deal with me because they know me. I have known them for a long time and they trust me. They know I am straight with them.

"That is how it is with Christian. I hope we can do it."

"A transitional period" - hopefully a short one.
"A corporate type" - can't get any more corporate than Bernie. In the loosest sense of the word!
"They trust me" - no, not really, they know you are a devious little man. Perhaps they trust you to be devious?
"I am straight with them" - only when it suits and even then there is always a hidden agenda.
 
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