Bernie Ecclestone’s apparent ousting from the helm of Formula 1 has triggered an outpouring of emotions spanning everything from love to hate.
To some degree that’s inevitable. Ecclestone has long revelled in playing the role of a mischievous rogue, albeit with a willingness to abandon the mischief for downright ruthlessness if there was a pound sign at the end of the deal.
Here are some quick-fire thoughts that could guide where the pendulum of opinion should settle - and please feel free to leave some of your own ideas below.
Love him
Bernard Charles Ecclestone is the son of a trawlerman who grew up in a tough part of London and who left school at 16. The boy’s done good.
He was smart enough to stop racing rather than pursue the dream of making it behind the wheel. Reports vary, but the word is he was a decent-enough driver if not a top-rate one, and he attempted to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix, albeit unsuccessfully. You have to be smart to walk away from what you love.
After turning his hand to driver management, he twice displayed a level of humanity not normally associated with his public image today. After driver Stuart Lewis-Evans was killed, Ecclestone retired from racing, because he was so badly shaken. Likewise, when his driver Jochen Rindt was killed (subsequently winning the F1 title posthumously) he was deeply affected, and legend has it he ensured Rindt’s family was properly looked after.
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289
Time Out!
But his primary motivation is not the sport.....its his personal wealth, which he has achieved - and some!
Good for him...clever man, bad for F1. So his time is up and as long as we don't replace him with some other megalomaniac it can only be a good day for F1.
F1 is in a bad place in terms of lack of excitement, both aural and process. It urgently needs new blood prepared to work WITH the teams, and hopefully cut the technology and the cost back (maybe thereby allowing new young teams to enter the Formula).
I also don't want to hear of any more new tracks built where we hear from the drivers " this track is difficult to overtake on", headline news, overtaking IS expected to be an important part of the sport!!! Change the track designer job number one.
manicm
“When people want to build
I see nothing wrong in that except your wounded patriotism. If Silverstone or any circuit is not good enough, it's not good enough. Nothing wrong in telling it like it is.
I know nothing about Silverstone though.
scrap
No, Bernie would much prefer
manicm
@scrap, any track needs to be
I mean, you can call them sterile but for the spectator the Abu Dhabi and Singapore tracks are just fabulous.
Leslie Brook
.
Birds Eye Potato Waffles, they're Waffly Versatile
bomb
All this comment tells us is
AndyRAC
Did a lot for F1.....
And more importantly - with Max, ensured the rest of motorsport became an afterthought. Most other series started to struggle - just so F1 could shine.
Bullfinch
He's repellent
jason_recliner
Yep
Peter Cavellini
here's the question.........?
Peter Cavellini.
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