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.

 

[FB]

This is the same man who said he admired Hitler as he "got things done". Yes Bernie, like genocide on a level never seen before in human existence. Perhaps he should just keep his gob shut on anything other than F1.

edit - in case you've never seen this before.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jul/04/bernie-ecclestone-interview-hitler-saddam

 

[Bill Boddy]

I'm not so sure about Hitler being on the highest level FB, Joe Stalin had a much longer reign of power so he may even have exceeded his rival's total.

But in percentage terms Rwanda probably tops the lot.

 

[Fenderman]

Probably true, but nasty people are even nastier when they have power to abuse so I'm not sure debating who was worse than whom matters very much. If murderous despots aren't stopped they carry on killing so numerical comparisons are irrelevant. I suppose we could argue about who used the worst methods but that's for another place methinks.

 

[Blog Zbod]

I don't recall that Bernie was the F1 noteworthy who was caught in a brothel, procuring the services of dominatrixes who dressed in Nazi regalia.

 

[teabagyokel]

Blog Zbod - I think it is entirely possible to not like either Moseley or Ecclestone.

 

[Titch]

As a perfectly uncomplicated female human, I find it mind blowingly awful that Bernie should back Putin and his narrow minded view of homosexuality.
Does he really think, or does anyone else think, that someone who is naturally heterosexual can be swayed into homosexuality through literature ?
It's in the genes. Humans are what they are. Varied.
And whatever our sexuality, we are all doing our bit to destroy the world we live in.

 

[Mephistopheles]

So if it turned out one of the drivers in F1 was homosexual or a rising star that is heading for F1 was homosexual and in either of these cases Bernie either manipulated to have this person removed from F1 or made sure he never reached F1 then that would be okay would it?

And how a man who is Jewish can say he admired Hitler just beggars belief, talk about betraying your own people FFS....

 

[Bill Boddy]

Ecclestone is not Jewish.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Some say he has Jewish ancestry, and in any case his words and views of Hitler are abhorrent to any right thinking person..

 

[Titch]

Ecclestone is past his use by date.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Way past, I wouldn't even use him as a hand me down...

 

[Jen]

It is perfectly possible to 'not like' a person, but see their strengths - whether they are commercial, intellectual or other

Bernie has done a lot for our beloved sport (without him it would be even more elitist and minus an open channel to the average punter, I suspect). Equally, to the 'average punter' he has destroyed it.

It is a case of which is best for those that follow the sport, and more importantly, those who finance the sport.

He has certainly publicised the sport and brought a great deal of PR, one way or another, and kept it in the headlines. We all love a 'bad guy' and it makes for bloody good copy and the constant attention helps to keep the sport alive (for the viewers) and interesting for the sponsors and backer

Whilst trying to understand the man, and thinking about all the 'negative' press, I can see that he is the consummate professional in what he does.

He is extremely tricky and not above a bit of shady dealing - that isn't odd in the a certain world of 'business'.

However, I would defy anyone to actually tell me what he really things about anyone or anything in the World - he is a pragmatist with a goal. He wants F1 to survive.

 

[siffert_fan]

Jen,
I have been following F1 for 50 years and can never recall a time when its survival was in doubt.

I truly believe that Bernie's goal is to remain in charge of F1 and therefore retain his spot on the public's radar until he is 6 feet under (maybe deeper, given that I doubt an ego the size of his would fit in a mere 6 foot hole).

 

[gethinceri]

What Jen said.
But I think he's a **** since his comments on homosexuality.

 

[Jen]

I didn't say I liked him!

At best his comments on homosexuality fit the bill for a Russian GP; it could also be his personal opinion (I suspect not but he does come from a generation that didn't attempt to understand such 'anomalies', so who knows) or it could be that he is just trying to keep the sport 'alive' whilst we all wait for the start of the season.

siffert_fan, I too have been following the sport for eons - there were times in the sixties and early seventies when a 'fan' had to be really dedicated to find out any information whatsoever.

 

[gethinceri]

Not sure who said that you like him Jen.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Ecclestone was interviewed by CNN and presumably was asked about the Russian GP Putin's attitude to homosexuals. Under those circumstances it would not be in his nature to criticise Putin or anything Russian; he doesn't really have any views in public, he just says what is most expedient at the time. Others, however, take what he says as being his views which I consider to be a mistake.

 

[teabagyokel]

Every other sport has professionalised at the same time and pace as Formula One. All of them. He has done very good by himself, anything else is an accidental by-product or an illusion.

 

[Jen]

Possibly no-one gethinceri, but it is always wise to make one's feelings known when posting positives and/or explanations for a generally loathed character.

 

[Titch]

I'll stick to my Guns. In my view I think that he is no longer good for the sport, and should hand over to someone younger with a genuine passion for F1. That is just my view, though.