Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone Says Big-Wigs Plotting His Demise

F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday confirmed reports some of F1's major stakeholders are "plotting" his demise, according to GMM. Mercedes and Red Bull "joined Ferrari in apparently moving against the long-time F1 'supremo,' with plans to replace the 85-year-old Briton with a three-pronged leadership team." Mercedes non-Exec Chair Niki Lauda "has been named as the potential head of the 'sporting' arm but the F1 legend rubbished those claims in Barcelona." Lauda: "Such b------t. Toto Wolff and I have a big enough job here with Mercedes, and we even own shares in the team. We are successful and everything works fine." One suggestion, however, "is that Lauda is already scaling down his other commitments." For instance, he "is no longer a full-time pundit for German television RTL." Lauda said, "That was RTL's decision, who did it for budgetary reasons. Less money means less Niki" (GMM, 5/16).