Bernard Ecclestone

Bernard Charles Ecclestone is a British business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns Delta Topco, the previous ultimate parent company of the Formula One Group.

• Bernie Ecclestone took Formula One from a niche racing competition to a global phenomenon over a four decade career.
• The man dubbed “F1 Supremo” by the British tabloids finally gave up the helm in January 2017, when Liberty Media bought F1 for $4.4 billion.
• Son of a trawler captain, he built one of the U.K.’s largest used car dealerships after World War II then bought the Brabham racing team in 1971.
• Ecclestone eventually took control of F1’s governance and lorded over the business despite selling most of his stake in the late 1990s.
• He was accused of bribing a German banker during the 2006 sale of F1 to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners; he paid a $100 million settlement.