Ecclestone: 'I think F1 without Ferrari isn’t at all good'

Bernie Ecclestone says that he never took any notice of Ferrari quit threats during his time in charge of Formula 1 and that, if they wanted to leave, there was never anything stopping them from doing so.

The most political sport in the world, Ecclestone was unmatched in his ability to keep others in step with his overarching vision but, despite the problems Ferrari may have caused him in the past, the former F1 chief says he got along well with 'Mr Ferrari'.

"I never took any notice," Ecclestone told Autocar. "I’m not a man to take notice of anything other than what I want. If Ferrari wanted to leave, then they should have done it. They never did, and as it happens I have only fond memories of Mr Ferrari. He always told me what was really going on, even when he was busy telling everyone else the opposite."

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Asked which was bigger, Formula 1 or Ferrari, Ecclestone was typically candid in his response.

"I think F1 without Ferrari isn’t at all good," stated Ecclestone. "And Ferrari’s brand is so strong that they could walk away from F1 and still be huge. Even when they aren’t winning in F1, you could ask a man in the street who won the world title and he would just say Ferrari."

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