Former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone said that "the sport's owners do not want him involved in the running of the business," according to Benson & Clarkson of the BBC. The 86-year-old, ousted when U.S. group Liberty Media took over F1 in January, said that the new owners "believe I haven't done a very good job." Ecclestone added, "The last thing they need is me to have any input because they want to change things. They know I would have changed them before if I thought they needed changing." Asked if he was missing his former role, Ecclestone said, "Not particularly, I'm still in F1" (BBC, 4/16). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported Ecclestone said that he had "yet to meet" F1 Managing Dir, Commercial Operations Sean Bratches. Ecclestone: "Never met Sean, I met (Managing Dir) Ross (Brawn) for 10 minutes this year and I knew Ross from the past obviously and I feel sorry for (Chair) Chase (Carey) being thrown in the deep end." Carey was not immediately available for comment (REUTERS, 4/14). GMM reported Ecclestone "caused a stir" by appearing at his first F1 event since being ousted. He said that he "will also attend the next round on the F1 schedule, in Russia." Ecclestone added, "I didn't leave. It's good be be back, but I only missed two races. And I wouldn't have gone to them anyway" (GMM, 4/15).
CAREY RESPONDS: In London, Allen & Ahmed reported the new owners of F1 "hit back at claims" from Ecclestone that the sport "charges governments too much" for hosting races, "defending the multimillion dollar deals that are a vital revenue stream for the global motor racing series." Tensions between Carey and Ecclestone "spilled into the open following the Bahrain Grand Prix," where Ecclestone said that he "doubted whether F1's new leadership can make the returns he achieved during four decades running the sport." Ecclestone said, "I charged [promoters] too much for what we provide. I did some good deals commercially. They are paying a lot of money, and most of them, if not all of them, are not making any money." Carey criticized his predecessor for "not doing enough to support race promoters to help them make profits from staging their events." Carey said, "[Promotion fees] were agreements between two parties that valued the franchise how it was valued. Nobody was tricked ... [but] has F1 invested in the right way to support the events? It's not that the deal is overpriced, it's more, did we deliver where we should deliver?" (FT, 4/17).
AZERBAIJAN GP: Alan Baldwin also reported Azerbaijan Grand Prix promoter Arif Rahimov "cleared the air" with Carey after "criticism of the race" by Liberty Media. Liberty CEO Greg Maffei said last month that Baku paid a big hosting fee but the race did "nothing to build the long-term brand and health of the business." Rahimov said that Carey "called soon after to reassure him about the race's future." Rahimov added, "He said he's really excited about the race, really wants to come and see the race and he's heard a lot of good things and feels that we are a strategic partner to Formula 1 and he really wants to keep this race" (REUTERS, 4/14).
