Formula 1

Ecclestone wants someone like him to take over

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone would rather have someone like himself take over managing the sport once he retires rather than lawyers and accountants. 71 year old Ecclestone has no intentions of retiring just yet but is sure that when he does decide ...

Edited: May 11, 2002, 2:07 AM

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F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone would rather have someone like himself take over managing the sport once he retires rather than lawyers and accountants. 71 year old Ecclestone has no intentions of retiring just yet but is sure that when he does decide to hand over the reins that his place will be quickly filled.

"What will happen when I'm gone, is that the void will quickly be filled and maybe these people will do a much better job, but in a completely different way," he said. But he went on to say he hoped whomever took over would be an entrepreneur like himself, someone who could 'fly by the seat of their pants.'

"This business has been built on the entrepreneurial style, me trusting in people and people trusting me and I would hate to think that it would end up in the hands of accountants and lawyers.I don't think it's right and I think eventually the business will suffer. You need someone to fly by he seat of their pants and hopefully get it right. I'd rather they were a little like me."

Ecclestone has been involved in motor sport since the fifties, even trying his hand at racing in F1 but his success was always on the business side of the sport. Once the owner of Brabham, he established Formula One Promotions and Administration and took over the television rights to F1. Formerly a risky and not very profitable income for the teams, Ecclestone turned the financial side around and virtually made F1 what it is today in the commercial world.

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