Ecclestone to get involved in F1 promoters dispute
"If people say I should be involved that is up to them"
Bernie Ecclestone says he is willing to help resolve a dispute between F1 race promoters and Liberty Media.
The Formula One Promoters’ Association, representing 16 of the 21 race hosts on the calendar, held a meeting and afterwards revealed that the circuits are threatening to quit the sport.
Although not supported by some race hosts including Russia and Mexico, they are nonetheless concerned about the loss of free television coverage, the addition of new races, and the terms of their contracts.
Former supremo Ecclestone, now the nominal ’chairman emeritus’ of F1, has also been largely opposed to how Liberty Media has run the sport since the 2016 takeover.
But he told the Daily Mail newspaper that he is willing to get involved in the dispute with the promoters.
"If people say I should be involved that is up to them," Ecclestone, 88, said.
"I am an employee of the company and will do what I am told. If they want me to help, I am willing to do so. I don’t want to lie on my deathbed and see the sport I created go downhill."
Also not involved in the promoters’ revolt are Monaco, Bahrain, Japan and Abu Dhabi.
F1 - FOM - Liberty Media
FIA, Liberty want to end power struggle ’clashes’
F1 won’t be ’bored’ with off-track news at Imola - CEO
F1 could scrap hybrid engines from 2030 - Domenicali
US congress should not influence F1’s Andretti decision
More on F1 - FOM - Liberty Media
Calendrier - circuits F1
F1 unlikely to feature two Italian races in 2026 - CEO
Imola must ’resist’ demise of European F1 races
Good news at Zandvoort amid F1 contract talks
Turkey expects to reach new F1 race deal ’quickly’
Circuit boss plays down ’epic’ F1-MotoGP idea
More on Calendrier - circuits F1