Bernie Ecclestone

BERNIE ECCLESTONE sparked an outpouring of furious reaction from GMB viewers on Thursday as he described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'decent' man ...

“He was doing for Russia,” Bernie said. “Why is he getting airtime? As Putin’s Russian army continues its invasion of Ukraine, his friend and formula Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone appeared on Good Morning Britain to share his thoughts on the Russian President’s actions. “But after things have happened it’s too late. Could it have been stopped? And in a remark which shocked Kate Garraway, Ben Shephard and ITV viewers as a whole, Bernie said he’d “take a bullet” for Putin, and claimed the war was merely “a mistake”.

ITV's Good Morning Britain fans are calling this mornings interview with Bernie Ecclestone a 'car crash' after he told Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway that ...

"One of the most shocking interviews I’ve ever heard! Ben and Kates's faces say it all" one viewer tweeted. When questioned about his comment in 2019 of taking a bullet and being a friend of Putin by Kate, he replied: "I would still take a bullet for him.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, Bernie Ecclestone showed support for Russia and said Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to still ...

He was upset with the accident thinking it was wrong and thinking it was Lewis' fault. #GMB." A fourth person posted: "This interview with Bernie Ecclestone is car crash telly. "Not at all, not at all. Embarrassing! #GMB." "Unfortunately, he's like a lot of business person - certainly like me - that we make mistakes from time-to-time.

The former F1 boss said Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "first class person" who had made "mistakes" - as he criticised Ukraine leader Volodymyr ...

They shouldn't be punished." And when asked if he was suggesting President Zelenskyy should "have done more to avert the war - and that it could have been avoided by Zelenskyy's actions, not by a change in Putin's actions", the motoring magnate said: "Absolutely". The former F1 boss said Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "first class person" who had made "mistakes" - as he criticised Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy for "not listening" to the Kremlin.

In a bizarre interview on Good Morning Britain, former Formula 1 owner Bernie Ecclestone, 91, branded 69-year-old dictator Vladimir Putin a 'first class ...

He does what he says he is going to do . . . He would be too busy to be worrying about that sort of thing. 'I am not a supporter of democracy. I don't think his background would be a problem.' Mr Eccelstone is a known admirer of the Russian President, and the duo have been seen at sporting events together. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. 'Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly. While the Brazilian has apologised and insisted his language had no racist intent, he faces being banned from the F1 paddock. to him it's nothing. He said: ''He didn't do that. He told GMB: 'I've known Nelson for an awful long time. He probably doesn't need reminding.

The former F1 boss said Putin 'believed he was doing the right thing' with Ukraine invasion.

As a dictator, you say, ‘This is what I’m going to do’. In a democracy, it gets watered down.” “Unfortunately he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. “He’s never done anything that isn’t doing good things for people.

Asked about the Russian leader the Formula One legend said he would 'take a bullet for him'

Ecclestone was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend and he replied: “I’d still take a bullet for him. “Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. He probably doesn’t need reminding.

Mr Ecclestone said Mr Zelensky should have spoken to Mr Putin, who he said is a “sensible” man. Turkmenistan Caspian Summit Russian President Vladimir Putin ( ...

He said: “I’m not in the position now to have done anything about that. Mr Ecclestone was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend, and he replied: “I’d still take a bullet for him. “So that’s probably what his problem was. he probably exploded then and sort of carried that forward. “Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. He probably doesn’t need reminding.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has doubled down on supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin after the recent conflict in Ukraine.

It was put to Mr Ecclestone that he surely could not justify the actions of Mr Putin and the deaths of thousands of people. He also part-owns Delta Topco, the previous ultimate parent company of the Formula One Group. On Good Morning Britain, presenter Kate Garraway said: "So just to understand you clearly, you think that President Zelensky should have done more to avert this war and it could have been avoided by Zelensky's actions, not by a change in Putin's actions?" I'm not sure I would have stopped that, and I certainly now wouldn't, and I think it's wrong, to stop Russian athletes, including obviously drivers, in taking part in their sport. Ecclestone was asked on ITV's Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend and he replied: "I'd still take a bullet for him. "What he's doing is something that he believed was the right thing he was doing for Russia. Unfortunately, he's like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time.

Formula 1's Bernie Ecclestone has defended Russia's president Vladimir Putin, saying despite the war in Ukraine: "I'd still take a bullet for him.

“Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me; we make mistakes from time to time. “I’d rather it didn’t hurt but I’d still take a bullet.” Formula 1’s Bernie Ecclestone has defended Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, saying despite the war in Ukraine: “I’d still take a bullet for him.”

The former F1 executive defended Mr Putin's actions in the interview.

Bernie claiming it’s all on Zelensky to stop the war. Bernie claiming it’s all on Zelensky to stop the war. Then says Putin didn’t mean to start it.. One viewer posted on Twitter: "So Mr Putin accidentally started a war with Ukraine.... but he's such a good guy and I'm sure if the right person were to have spoken with him he wouldn't have done it! As a dictator, you say, ‘This is what I’m going to do’. In a democracy, it gets watered down.” “Unfortunately he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time.

Formula 1 has said that comments made by former grand prix supremo Bernie Ecclestone defending Vladimir Putin are in 'very stark contrast' to the values of ...

The statement said: “The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to position of the modern values of the sport.” The risk of some perceiving Ecclestone’s remarks to be in-line with thinking of current F1 figures prompted the category to issue a statement making it clear his views could not be further from those held by the current F1 chiefs. “Unfortunately he's like a lot of business people, certainly like me, that we make mistakes from time to time and when you make the mistake, you have to do the best you can to get out of it.”

Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has said he would “take a bullet” for Russian President Vladimir Putin and described him as “a first-class person” ...

Ecclestone was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend and he replied: “I’d still take a bullet for him. “Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. It’s not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad. “I think he seems as if he wants to continue that profession, because I think if he’d have thought about things, he would have definitely made a big enough effort to speak to Mr Putin, who is a sensible person and would have listened to him and could have probably done something about it.” He would never go out of his way to say anything bad." Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has said he would “take a bullet” for Russian President Vladimir Putin and described him as “a first-class person”.

Formula 1 says comments by the sport's former boss Bernie Ecclestone on Vladimir Putin and racism are in "stark contrast" to "modern values".

If I'd have heard it, I'd have been able to deal with it myself without too much trouble." Many sports banned Russian participation in or staging of events, and F1 cancelled the contract for the Russian GP. I'm quite sure people have made remarks about that. Ecclestone added that he was "not sure" he would have made the same decision. He said he had not spoken to the Russian president since the invasion was launched in February, but added: "I'm absolutely sure he now wishes he didn't start this whole business, but it didn't start as a war." When it was put to him that he could not justify the actions of Putin and the deaths of thousands of people, he answered: "I don't. It wasn't intentional."

Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has defended Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, saying he would "take a bullet" for the Russian President, ...

But he's now come out and Nelson has apologised so everyone should be happy." Ecclestone said: "Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly. "I'm surprised Lewis hasn't just brushed it aside. If I'd have heard it, I'd have been able to deal with it myself without too much trouble. "Well it's probably not appropriate with us. "He probably thinks lots of things he says which might upset us or might feel a little bit offensive....

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has had his say on the racism row engulfing the sport - siding with friend and former driver Nelson Piquet over Lewis ...

He said: "I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations. There has been plenty of time to learn. But he's now come out and Nelson has apologised." "Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly. When asked about the term in question, Ecclestone added: "Well it's probably not appropriate with us. I was with him a couple of weeks ago.

Bernie Ecclestone has risked the wrath of Lewis Hamilton by insisting the Formula One star 'should be happy' after Nelson Piquet apologised.

I don’t know what you can do to stop people saying something that at the time would appear to be appropriate to them but might not be in reality. But he’s now come out and Nelson’s apologised so everyone should be happy.’ He said: ‘It’s probably not something that’s appropriate with us but it probably isn’t something terrible that happens if you said those things in Brazil I don’t know what the reaction is there.

The former Formula 1 boss managed to trigger the "WTF moment of the day" during his Good Morning Britain interview on Thursday.

He went on to tell The Times newspaper in 2019 that he would like to see Putin “running Europe”. In a later interview with the Times in 2009, Ecclestone caused further alarm when he said: “Terrible to say this I suppose but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was – in the way that he could command a lot of people – able to get things done.” Defending Putin’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Bernie said Putin was doing what he believes “is the right thing” for Russia and claimed the deaths of thousands Ukrainian civilians as “not intentional”.

LEWIS HAMILTON spoke out passionately on social media after footage of Nelson Piquet using a racial slur shocked the F1 community.

The Estonian's F2 team, Hitech, will give him a chance at redemption by allowing him to see out the season. "I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is the girlfriend of Max Verstappen, probably after seeing the accident, he probably exploded and carried that forward. Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone claims that Lewis Hamilton 'should be happy' after Nelson Piquet publicly apologised for using a racial slur when discussing the Brit's collision with Max Verstappen at Silverstone last year - and he says he's surprised by the Briton's response to Piquet's comments. Hamilton and Verstappen came together at the British Grand Prix last year, causing a collision that sent the Dutchman careering into the barriers before being whisked off to hospital for precautionary checks. It's not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad. to him it's nothing.

BERNIE ECCLESTON has shockingly defended long-term friend Nelson Piquet after the Brazilian F1 icon used a vile racial slur to describe Lewis Hamilton.

Pull the plug on this interview." But he’s now come out and Nelson has apologised." This weasel." When asked about the disgusting term, Eccleston said: "Well it's probably not appropriate with us. "I’m surprised Lewis hasn’t just brushed it aside. He said: "I've known Nelson for an awful long time.

Former F1 chief calls Russian president 'first-class person' in GMB interview and blames war on Zelenskiy.

I’m absolutely sure he now wishes he hadn’t have started this whole business, but [it] didn’t start as a war.” I’d rather it didn’t hurt, but if it does I’d still take a bullet, because he’s a first-class person. He probably doesn’t need reminding.

Former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is friends with Russia President Vladimir Putin and has defended him along with the war he began in Ukraine back ...

“And I’m quite sure Ukraine, if they’d wanted to get out of it properly, could have done,” he claimed. I’d rather it didn’t hurt but I would still take a bullet,” he added. “I would still take a bullet for him.

Mr Ecclestone said Mr Zelensky should have spoken to Mr Putin, who he said is a “sensible” man. Turkmenistan Caspian Summit Russian President Vladimir Putin ( ...

He said: “I’m not in the position now to have done anything about that. Mr Ecclestone was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend, and he replied: “I’d still take a bullet for him. he probably exploded then and sort of carried that forward. “So that’s probably what his problem was. “Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. He probably doesn’t need reminding.

The seven-time world champion was speaking ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix - days after 69-year-old Piquet's offensive reference to Hamilton emerged ...

If you don’t have anything positive to contribute to where we want to be going and where we want to be, don’t give them any space.” We do not need to be supporting that but looking into the future. “It is affecting all those people out there and people around the world. He continued: “There needs to be some accountability. “We don’t need any more of it. We need big organisations to take a stand.”

The seven-time world champion was responding to Piquet calling him a variant of the n-word and Ecclestone's defence of Vladimir Putin as a 'first-class ...

This is going to put us back decades, and we have yet to see the real brunt of the pain.' 'I have been on the receiving end of racism and criticism and archaic narratives for a long time and undertones of discrimination, so there is nothing particularly new for me.' Referring to Ecclestone's interview, Hamilton added: 'There needs to be some accountability. It is affecting all those people out there and all people around the world. 'If we are looking to grow our audiences in the US and South Africa we need to be giving the younger people a platform. They are more representative of today's time and who we are trying to be. As for Stewart, 83, he recently said: 'It's time to resign.

Bernie Ecclestone has sparked controversy over his comments on Vladimir Putin (Picture: Marcelo Machado de Melo via Getty Images).

His most famous controversy lasted from 2006 until 2014, during which he was accused of bribing a former German banker to secure a favourable outcome in an F1 business deal. But after several accidents, he retired and moved into business instead. On Thursday, he described Vladimir Putin – condemned by many for an increasingly autocratic leadership style and his decision to invade Ukraine in February – as ‘first class’ and declared he would ‘take a bullet’ for the Russian President.

FORMULA ONE has spoken out after Bernie Ecclestone defended Vladimir Putin on Good Morning Britain. F1 bosses said the remarks were Ecclestone's “personal ...

Ecclestone said: “The other person in Ukraine (Zelensky). His profession I understand used to be a comedian and I think he seems as if he wants to continue that profession. It comes after the former F1 boss claimed Putin was a “first-class person” and said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should have done more to avoid the war between the two countries. “I’d rather it didn't hurt but if it does I’d still take a bullet.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he would “take a bullet” for Russian President Vladimir Putin and described him as “a first-class ...

He said: “I’m not in the position now to have done anything about that. Mr Ecclestone was asked on ITV’s Good Morning Britain if he still regards Mr Putin as a friend, and he replied: “I’d still take a bullet for him. he probably exploded then and sort of carried that forward. “So that’s probably what his problem was. “Unfortunately, he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, we make mistakes from time to time. He probably doesn’t need reminding.

Vladimir Putin super-fan Bernie Ecclestone has followed up his shocking views on racism and the war in Ukraine by labelling Lewis Hamilton's comments as "a ...

When asked about his views on Hamilton’s comments, Ecclestone said: “A complete load of rubbish. I am not sure why we are continuing to give these older people a platform.” He said: “I am incredibly grateful to all those who have been supportive within the sport, particularly the drivers.