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.

 

[Greenlantern101]

There would be no F1 without him and we owe him a lot for that. But the bottom line is he is a despot who stayed for 20 years too long.

 

[Titch]

Well, well, well. Well.

I'm lost for words.

Except it's good to see Brawn back in the sport.

 

[Road of Bones]

The world moved on and left him behind to a certain extent, but he had made himself so pivotal to the business of F1 that he was able to keep on wheeling & dealing far longer than he probably should have been able. The whole (legally) bribing his way out of the German bribery court-case was really the point at which he ought to have stepped aside, but one assumes that he was so used to being "the man", he wasn't prepared to give up control at that point (plus his ability to buy his way out of trouble probably made him feel pretty invulnerable).

I think this could go one of 2 ways now - either he'll mount a buy-back bid in the next couple of years, or he'll fall off the perch within a year - my money would be on the former, frankly!

 

[Bill Boddy]

I wonder who has access to the contracts with the circuits, he has reputedly kept everything in his head.

 

[gethinceri]

Well perhaps Liberty can start from scratch then, with a more equitable solution all round.
A couple of additional North American GPs, an end to the shite recently added venues and revisiting the great circuits we miss.

 

[jez101]

There was a coup to remove Bernie after the Muppets 'bought' F1. They didn't realise until it was too late that they had bought an empty shell that was mortgaged to the hilt and that the contracts were full of poison pills.

Maybe Liberty learned the lesson.

 

[marksawatsky]

I'm really excited about all this. Bernie was just too set in his ways to move F1 forward and Brawn is so brilliant, I can see a wonderful new set of regulations coming in the next few years. I can't wait to see what happens.

 

[Andyoak]

Unfortunately, in the UK, you'll probably have to pay to see what happens.

 

[Bill Boddy]

But hopefully it will be a reasonable amount, not the fortune Sky charge.

There is one thing about Mr Ecclestine which he never seems to mention and that is how he forced the circuit owners to make their circuits safe and have first class medical facilities and he also forced the teams and the FIA to build safe cars at a time when there were drivers dying at almost every race. What a shame this didn't happen until too late for many great drivers.

 

[FB]

Can someone explain what the fuck the Commercial (remember, COMMERCIAL!) rights holder needs a technical adviser? Aren't the FIA supposed to make the rules of the sport?

 

[Greenlantern101]

You aren't trying to use logic are you FB?

 

[F1Brits_90]

Just been reminded its a week to the day since that disastrous qualifying system was implemented

 

[Greenlantern101]

Oh my God, are you ok F1Brits_90? Have a brandy to settle your nerves.

 

[Greenlantern101]

I almost put this in non-news

Dictator not happy he was deposed.

Ecclestone: Liberty wants to "get rid of my history"

 

[Titch]

I'm so glad that Liberty wants to move on. The time is long overdue.

 

[Rutherford]

WOW, so many people seem to have been holding a grudge against the poor bloke.

I really liked him, especially his interviews, it's sad to see him go.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Really. His interviews. Where he never answered any question ever. Really..
.
. okay.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Who?

 

[Titch]

Hmm the thread title Bill Boddy

 

[Rutherford]

Who?

Nick Clegg.