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Formula One
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CART
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IRL
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NHRA
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| Friday, February 2 |
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| Ecclestone plans to keep control of F1 Reuters | |||
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Bernie Ecclestone was quoted on
Friday as saying he had no immediate plans to relinquish control
of Formula One.
He told the Daily Express newspaper that Europe's major
car makers were negotiating to buy a stake in Formula One but did
not want outright control of the sport.
"They don't want control," Ecclestone told the Express.
"They simply want to be sure of their security.
"They have big investments in Formula One and they just want
to be sure that some lunatic is not going to be in charge
without their say-so."
"I don't blame them, it is what they should do," he said.
"As long as the car manufacturers don't squabble among
themselves, which I don't think they will, I believe that as
long as I am healthy and can continue what I do now, they are
delighted."
A report in two British newspapers on Thursday suggested
Ecclestone was preparing to hand over control of Formula One
to the five major European car makers currently
involved with teams.
It said Renault, BMW, Fiat, Ford and Mercedes
had joined forces to buy a partnership with SLEC, the
family trust through which Ecclestone controls the business of
Formula One.
"I shouldn't think I will do this for more than another 20
years," joked the 70-year-old Ecclestone, who had heart surgery
two years ago, when asked about retirement.
Partnership Renault owns Benetton, BMW provides engines to Williams, Fiat owns world champions Ferrari, Ford races under the Jaguar brand and Mercedes is in partnership with McLaren. Japanese car makers Honda and Toyota, from next season, are also involved in Formula One. Ecclestone said that if he was no longer in charge -- "dead or whatever" -- then the car makers needed to be in a position to determine who ran the business. "They are talking with the trust on making it happen and I have been helping on day-to-day practical matters." SLEC still holds half its shares with the other half held by debt-laden German media group EM.TV. EM.TV are currently negotiating with German media giant Kirch to sell almost half its holding in SLEC. It said in October it had received a letter of intent from the car makers stating their interest in buying a stake. The Express said SLEC was likely to buy back some of EM.TV's holding and that if it ended up with a total of 70 percent of its shares, then it would sell half to the five car makers. It said the car makers were looking for either a committee of the teams or a chief executive to run Formula One once Ecclestone departed the scene. "I think the manufacturers will go with a chief executive and I believe it has to be with someone inside the sport who knows the ins and outs of the business," said Ecclestone. "I don't know who could do it the way that I do it but maybe someone else would have a different style." Ecclestone will loosen his grip on Formula One as part of an agreement last week between the ruling International Automobile Federation and the European Commission. The Briton is an honorary vice president of the FIA in charge of promotional matters but that role will no longer exist under an agreement for the FIA to loosen its ties with the commercial side of Formula One. | |
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