Jaclyn Smith
American actress
Bernie Ecclestone is a former British business magnate who served as the chief executive of the Formula One Group. He was instrumental in the commercial growth of the sport, pioneering the sale of TV rights in the 1970s. Ecclestone was recently convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to a suspended prison term.
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About the Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles Ecclestoneis a British former business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport. As such, he was commonly described in journalism as the ‘F1 Supremo’.
Ecclestone began his career as a racing driver and entered two Grand Prix races during the 1958 season, but failed to qualify for either of them. Later, he became manager of drivers Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt. In 1972, he bought the Brabham team, which he ran for 15 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 sale of the television rights in the late 1970s, was chiefly financial; under the terms of the Concorde Agreement, Ecclestone and his companies also controlled the administration, setup and logistics of each Grand Prix, thus making him one of the richest men in the United Kingdom. Ecclestone was replaced by Chase Carey as chief executive of the Formula One Group in 2017. He was subsequently appointed as chairman emeritus and acted as an adviser to the board.
Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore also owned the English football club Queens Park Rangers between 2007 and 2011.
In October 2023, Ecclestone was convicted of tax fraud by false representation, and had to pay HM Revenue and Customs nearly PS653m in back tax and penalties. He was sentenced to 17 months in prison, suspended for two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bernie Ecclestone is a British former business magnate who served as the chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport. He is commonly referred to as the ‘F1 Supremo’.
Bernie Ecclestone was the former chief executive of the Formula One Group and was instrumental in the commercial growth of the sport. He pioneered the sale of television rights in the late 1970s, which allowed him to exert significant control over the administration, setup, and logistics of each Grand Prix.
In October 2023, Bernie Ecclestone was convicted of tax fraud by false representation and had to pay HM Revenue and Customs nearly £653m in back tax and penalties. He was sentenced to 17 months in prison, which was suspended for two years.
In addition to his leadership of the Formula One Group, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore also owned the English football club Queens Park Rangers between 2007 and 2011.
Bernie Ecclestone began his career as a racing driver, entering two Grand Prix races during the 1958 season, but he failed to qualify for either of them. Later, he became a manager of drivers Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt, and in 1972, he bought the Brabham team, which he ran for 15 years.
3 Quotes by Bernie Ecclestone
- 1.
What we need now is a Treaty of the World not a Treaty of Rome.
Bernie EcclestoneBritish business magnate (born 1930)
- 2.
They say Formula One is a market which it can’t be, obviously. Our market is independent, it’s a sport.
Bernie EcclestoneBritish business magnate (born 1930)
- 3.
People want to build new circuits around the world and they say: ‘We’ll come to Silverstone and have a look how it’s done’, and I tell them to stay away.
Bernie EcclestoneBritish business magnate (born 1930)