Ecclestone goes to Nurburgring despite bribery probe

Bernie Ecclestone insists he is not afraid to travel to the Nurburgring this week for the German grand prix.

"Of course," the F1 chief executive told Bild newspaper when asked if he will be at the tenth round of the world championship. "Why wouldn’t I be?"

There has been speculation Ecclestone, 80, might stay away while he is being investigated by German prosecutors for possible involvement in the Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery affair.

"Why would they arrest me? There is no reason," the Briton insisted.

The German newsmagazine Focus reports that Gribkowsky faces a longer prison term than originally envisaged - ten years - due to the prosecutors’ plans to lay additional charges.

Bloomberg said a spokeswoman for the prosecutors did not answer her mobile phone on Sunday.