Though there have been reports of Bernie Ecclestone trying to form a breakaway series, he would be BETTER OFF RETIRING peacefully. The octogenarian has lingered for so long that the F1 fraternity is now happy to see the back of him, writes S. DIPAK RAGAV.
To imagine Formula One without Bernie Ecclestone was far-fetched. However, the last few weeks have shown that nothing is beyond the realm of possibility in the sport, as Mr. E was gently nudged out of his post as chief executive of the Formula One Group by Liberty Media, the new owner of F1.
In the last few months, Formula One has seen some unexpected turn of events, from Nico Rosberg’s retirement to Felipe Massa’s U-turn after calling time on his career, but the exit of the diminutive Englishman will have a great effect on the sport.
For close to four decades, Ecclestone ran F1 with an iron fist, transforming what once looked like a leisure sport with a bunch of amateurs turning up on weekends to race, to a hugely successful, multi-billion-dollar global sport watched by more than 600 million people each year.
AFTER FAILING TO MAKE a mark as a driver — Bernie failed to qualify for the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix — and later managing two drivers, including the 1970 champion, Jochen Rindt, Ecclestone came to the centre stage in the early 1970s when he bought the Brabham team from its co-founder Ron Tauranac.
This story is from the February 11, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
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This story is from the February 11, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
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