F1
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor 6y

Ecclestone: F1's new bosses don't want me at races

Formula 1

Former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone claims the sport's new owners do not want him to attend races anymore.

Liberty Media took control of Formula One in February, replacing Ecclestone as CEO with American businessman Chase Carey. The new top management also consists of Ross Brawn on the sporting side and Sean Bratches on the commercial side, while Ecclestone, who was given the honorary role of chairman emeritus, says he no longer has an office at race weekends.

"Chase sent a message to one of the girls in the office to tell me that they haven't got so many offices at the circuits -- only what the race promoter gives them," Ecclestone told the Daily Mail. "There are three of them [Carey, Bratches and Brawn] so the three offices are being used. So basically they don't want me to come to races. It would have been just as easy to have said that to me. Anyway, I have obliged them."

Ecclestone said he expected to stay on in his role for at least six months to help the transition in management and believes the new owners have done very little to change the sport since they took control.

"They haven't done anything yet as far as I can see. They said they wouldn't talk, they would act. They said I talked before doing anything. I didn't. I got things done quietly. All they do is talk. They said they wanted six races in America, for example.

"If I say I am going to whack someone next time I see them, I'd better bloody well do it. Chase had preconceived ideas of what needed to be done. But now he's on board, it isn't quite as easy as he thought. So I feel sorry for him."

And Ecclestone believes this year's title race will be wrapped up this weekend at the U.S. Grand Prix.

"Lewis will win it in Austin next race," Ecclestone predicted "He has driven superbly this season, while Ferrari awoke and then fell asleep."

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