Ecclestone says he’d ‘take a bullet’ for Putinon June 30, 2022 at 9:49 am

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Formula 1 says comments by the sport’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone on Vladimir Putin and racism are in “stark contrast” to “modern values”.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone talk during a 2010 ceremony of signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia in 2014

On Thursday, Ecclestone said he would “take a bullet” for Russia’s president.

The 91-year-old, who was removed as chief executive when US group Liberty Media bought F1 in 2017, added that the Russian president’s war in Ukraine “wasn’t intentional”.

He also said Lewis Hamilton should have “brushed aside” racist comments.

“The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to the position of the modern values of our sport,” a statement from F1 read.

Ecclestone built up a relationship with Putin when they were establishing the Russian Grand Prix, which made its debut in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in 2014.

In 2016, Ecclestone was criticised for saying Putin was “the guy who should run Europe”, and he has become notorious for making provocative, outdated comments about social and political matters.

Several senior figures in F1 have told BBC Sport they believe Ecclestone is performing some form of informal advisory role to the president of the FIA – motorsport’s governing body – Mohammed ben Sulayem.

But an FIA spokesman said: “The two of them know each other, but there is no advising going on and hasn’t been since he became president, and as far as I know before that.

“There is no association there and no informal or formal advising.”

In Thursday’s interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Ecclestone said: “What [Putin is] doing is something he believes is the right thing he’s doing for Russia.”

When it was put to him that he could not justify the actions of Putin and the deaths of thousands of people, he answered: “I don’t. It wasn’t intentional.”

He said he had not spoken to the Russian president since the invasion was launched in February, but added: “I’m absolutely sure he now wishes he didn’t start this whole business, but it didn’t start as a war.”

Ecclestone also criticised Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he could have stopped the war by negotiating with Putin.

Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February, and the action was widely condemned by the international community. Many sports banned Russian participation in or staging of events, and F1 cancelled the contract for the Russian GP.

Ecclestone added that he was “not sure” he would have made the same decision.

He also commented on three-time world champion Nelson Piquet’s use of racist language in referring to Britain’s Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton responded to Brazilian Piquet’s remarks by saying that “archaic mindsets need to change”.

Ecclestone said he was “surprised Lewis hasn’t just brushed it aside, or better than that, replied”.

Piquet won two of his three world titles while driving for Ecclestone’s Brabham team.

Ecclestone said: “It’s probably not appropriate with us but probably it isn’t something terrible that happens if you said that in Brazil.

“But people say things, and people talk about people if they happen to be little bit overweight, or a little bit undersized like me. I’m quite sure people have made remarks about that. If I’d have heard it, I’d have been able to deal with it myself without too much trouble.”

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - BlueFooter - Blue

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Leah Croucher: Suspect in teen murder case is deceasedon October 14, 2022 at 1:42 pm

Police believe Neil Maxwell, a convicted sex offender, may have been involved in the teenager's death.Image source, Thames Valley PolicePolice suspect a convicted sex...

Bruce Willis denies selling rights to his faceon October 2, 2022 at 12:37 am

It was widely reported that the actor had sold his face to a deepfake company.Bruce Willis's agent has denied reports that the film star...

‘Putin has to be stopped’ – the Britons preparing to fight in Ukraineon March 2, 2022 at 7:26 pm

We talk to some of the people responding to President Zelensky's appeal for foreigners to join in the defence of his country

UK to be only major economy to shrink in 2023, IMF predictson January 31, 2023 at 8:40 am

Even sanctions-hit Russia is expected to grow this year, but the IMF says the UK is "on the right track".Image source, Getty ImagesThe UK...

Alexandre Lacazette: Arsenal forward re-signs for Lyon five years after leavingon June 9, 2022 at 7:08 am

Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette re-signs for Lyon on a free transfer - five years after leaving to join the Gunners for a then club...