Bernie Ecclestone

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Lore & Background

Ecclestone's path to F1 dominance began with racing himself. After acquiring a Cooper Mk V in 1951, he achieved occasional wins at Brands Hatch before retiring following accidents. In 1958, attempting to enter the Monaco and British Grands Prix as a privateer with two Connaught chassis, he failed to qualify; he even drove the #12 car himself to verify handling complaints, recording a time nearly a minute slower than his drivers in what was described as 'not a serious attempt.' The death of managed driver Stuart Lewis-Evans in 1958 shocked him into retirement from racing. He later co-owned Rindt's Lotus F2 team; Rindt won the 1970 World Championship posthumously after dying at Monza. In 1972, Ecclestone bought Brabham for £100,000 (approx $120,000) from Ron Tauranac. He abandoned customer car sales to focus entirely on his own team's competitiveness, promoting Gordon Murray as chief designer in 1973. The team secured victories with Ford engines in 1974 and 1975 before switching to unreliable Alfa Romeo flat-12s in 1976. A pivotal return to form came in 1978 with Niki Lauda and the radical BT46, followed by a turbo-era success with Nelson Piquet and BMW engines, securing titles in 1981 and 1983.

In Their Own Story

The turning point for Ecclestone's executive career arrived in 1974 when he co-founded the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) alongside Frank Williams, Colin Chapman, Teddy Mayer, Ken Tyrrell, and Max Mosley. As chief executive by 1978, he engaged in a decades-long struggle with FISA and Jean-Marie Balestre to secure television rights for the teams. This culminated in his famous coup: establishing Formula One Promotions and Administration (FOPA) to negotiate contracts directly. The deal allocated 47% of revenues to teams, 30% to the FIA, and 23% to FOPA, with FOPA covering prize money. In 1987, he founded the Formula One Group, formalizing control over administration, setup, and logistics under the Concorde Agreement. He also founded International Sportsworld Communicators in 1996, controlling World Rally Championship rights until 2000. Ecclestone placed fifth on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2002 but declined a CBE and knighthood from Elizabeth II. In 2007, he co-owned Queens Park Rangers with Flavio Briatore until 2011. He sold the Formula One Group to Liberty Media in 2017, serving as chairman emeritus until his departure in 2020.

Reader's Guide

Ecclestone's influence extended far beyond race strategy; he was a figure of significant controversy and personal milestones. His four-decade executive career involved navigating complex legal battles and financial negotiations that reshaped the sport's structure. In October 2023, he faced legal consequences when convicted of tax fraud at Southwark Crown Court, agreeing to pay HM Revenue and Customs over £650 million in back taxes and penalties, receiving a 17-month suspended sentence for two years. On a personal note, his son was born in 2020, making him one of the oldest known fathers at age 89. His business acumen is evident in the sale of Brabham in 1988 to Swiss businessman Joachim Luhti for over US$5 million, more than forty times his initial investment. Throughout his tenure, he maintained control through the Concorde Agreement, ensuring that commercial rights and logistical administration remained centralized under his companies until the 2017 sale.

Did You Know?

• In 1958, Ecclestone drove a Connaught car himself at the Monaco Grand Prix to prove handling issues, finishing nearly a minute slower than his own drivers.
• He purchased the Brabham team in 1972 for £100,000 and sold it in 1988 for over US$5 million.
• Ecclestone declined both a CBE and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.
• In October 2023, he was sentenced to 17 months in prison (suspended for two years) after being convicted of tax fraud involving over £650 million.
• He became one of the oldest known fathers at age 89 when his son was born in 2020.