Ecclestone responds to F1 return rumours
Ecclestone responds to F1 return rumours
Bernie Ecclestone has played down suggestions he might make a return to Formula 1. The former F1 supremo may be 88, but his friend Christian Horner says: "You never know with him," amid reports that he could return to take over from Liberty Media.
Ecclestone was quickly moved out of a position of power following Liberty's takeover in 2016, but not all of the Americans' changes to the sport have been well-received.
It was rumoured earlier this year that Liberty may be looking to sell F1, with Ecclestone a potentially interested party, but the former boss says a return is not on his mind.
Ecclestone told Corriere della Sera: "It would be a mistake to go back, even if I had the chance.
"Why should I try to change Liberty?"
But Horner, the Red Bull boss, thinks Ecclestone would be better than Chase Carey and the other Liberty Media executives at negotiating the Concorde Agreement and ending the dispute with disgruntled race promoters.
Ecclestone also notes that F1's TV ratings "have fallen", but he thinks that could change in 2019.
"Yes, if the competition improves," Ecclestone said. "In the past few seasons it was known before it started that [Lewis] Hamilton would win. How do you sell a product like that?"
Ecclestone said he is hoping Ferrari beats Mercedes this year.
"They should have won it last year, they had the right car, but Sergio Marchionne's death left a huge void," he said.
"Even Sebastian [Vettel] felt lost. He was not happy with how the team was managed and made mistakes that he would never make in other circumstances."
But he says Hamilton remains the 2019 favourite, saying the Mercedes driver's high profile is both "the best and the worst" for F1.
"The best because he knows how to promote the sport like no other, but the worst because he takes all the attention away," Ecclestone added.
"He's not doing anything wrong, it's the other drivers that need to wake up and show their personalities."
Finally, when asked about Fernando Alonso's exit from F1, Bernie answered: "It's a great loss. Maybe he will return to Ferrari in 2020."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Horner Red Bull saga in new 'evidence' update as big F1 star left 'very angry' - GPFans F1 Recap
- 2 hours ago
Cocky sporting legend CHALLENGES Hamilton in stunning claim
- 3 hours ago
Ricciardo boss in 'super disappointing' claim amid RB stars' performance
- Yesterday 21:57
F1 team 'set to announce MEGA signing' in major Red Bull challenge
- Yesterday 20:57
Horner in BRUTAL Wolff swipe amid Verstappen to Mercedes links
- Yesterday 19:57
Hamilton car camera captures Verstappen's TRUE feelings toward F1 rival
- Yesterday 18:57
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860