Ecclestone gives finger to zimmer-frame gift

Photos of Bernie Ecclestone giving a middle finger salute are complementing reports on Thursday about the F1 chief executive’s birthday.

F1’s chief executive and long-time ’supremo’ is turning 80, and Red Bull marked the forthcoming occasion in Korea last weekend with a mischievous present.

It was a zimmer frame, featuring a Red Bull front wing and a special F1-style steering wheel with a range of custom buttons.

One of the buttons was labelled ’Viagra’, another ’Nurse’, and yet another ’Pasquale’ - referring to his ever-present assistant Pasquale Lattuneddu.

Posing at the front of the Red Bull garage with Christian Horner and his favourite driver Sebastian Vettel, Ecclestone greeted the massed photographers with good humour and the obscene single-finger gesture.

Ecclestone does not intend to mark the occasion of his actual birthday on Thursday. "I hate parties," he said.

When asked what he really wants for his 80th birthday, the Briton was quoted a few days ago as saying: "I just want to get there."