Bernard Charles “Bernie” Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is a British business magnate. He was the chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns Delta Topco, the ultimate parent company of the Formula One Group. As such, he is generally considered an authoritative voice in Formula One racing and is most commonly described in tabloid journalism as “F1 Supremo“.
On 23 January 2017, it was announced that Bernie Ecclestone had been replaced by Chase Carey as chief executive of the Formula One Group, though he has been appointed as chairman emeritus and will act as an adviser to the board.
His early involvement in the sport was as a competitor and then as a manager of drivers Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt. In 1972, he bought the Brabham team, which he ran for fifteen years. As a team owner he became a member of the Formula One Constructors Association. His control of the sport, which grew from his pioneering the sale of television rights in the late 1970s, was chiefly financial, but under the terms of the Concorde Agreement he and his companies also managed the administration, setup and logistics of each Formula One Grand Prix, making him one of the richest men in the UK. Ecclestone entered two Grand Prix races as a driver, during the 1958 season, but failed to qualify for either of them.
Ecclestone and business partner Flavio Briatore also owned the English football club Queens Park Rangers between 2007 and 2011.
Summary
| Bernie Ecclestone | |
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Bernie Ecclestone at the 2016 Russian Grand Prix
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| Born | Bernard Charles Ecclestone 28 October 1930 Bungay, Suffolk, England, UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | Since 1945 |
| Net worth | US$3.1 billion (2016) |
| Height | 5’0 (1.51m) |
| Title | Chairman Emeritus of Formula One Group |
| Spouse(s) | Ivy Bamford (m. 1952; d.) Slavica Radić (m. 1985; div. 2009) Fabiana Flosi (m. 2012) |
| Children | Deborah Ecclestone (born 1955) Tamara Ecclestone (born 1984) Petra Ecclestone (born 1988) |
- Bernie Ecclestone took Formula One from a niche racing competition to a global phenomenon over a four decade career.
- The man dubbed “F1 Supremo” by the British tabloids finally gave up the helm in January 2017, when Liberty Media bought F1 for $4.4 billion.
- Son of a trawler captain, he built one of the U.K.’s largest used car dealerships after World War II then bought the Brabham racing team in 1971.
- Ecclestone eventually took control of F1’s governance and lorded over the business despite selling most of his stake in the late 1990s.
- He was accused of bribing a German banker during the 2006 sale of F1 to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners; he paid a $100 million settlement.
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