Bernie Ecclestone

] On 17 November Blair apologised for his government's mishandling of the affair and stated "the decision to exempt Formula One from tobacco sponsorship was taken two weeks later. It was in response to fears that Britain might lose the industry overseas to Asian countries who were bidding for it." [cite news| title = Blair apologises for mishandling F1 row| work = BBC News| publisher = BBC| date = 1997-11-17 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/31780.stm | accessdate =2008-03-22] In 2008, the year after Blair stepped down as Prime Minister, internal Downing Street memos revealed that in fact the decision had been made at the time of the meeting, and not two weeks later as Blair stated in Parliament. [cite news| title = Secret papers reveal Tony Blair’s F1 tobacco deal |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4926737.ece]

Personal life

The Sunday Times Rich List of 2003 ranked Ecclestone the 3rd richest person in the United Kingdom, with an estimated fortune of £2,400m. He fell to eighth place in 2004's Sunday Times Rich List, and by 2006 the rich list placed him 13th with an estimated net worth of £2,243m. Currently in the 2008's Sunday Times Rich List he ranks as the 24th richest person in the United Kingdom, with an estimated fortune of £2,400m.

In early 2004 he sold one of his London residences (Kensington Palace Gardens), never having lived in it, to steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal for £57.1 million, making it the most expensive house ever sold.

Ecclestone is married to Slavica Ecclestone, née Slavica Radić. Radić was born in the town of Rijeka in Croatia in the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in 1958. She is a 6'2" (1.88 m) former Armani model who is 28 years his junior, and 11.5 inches (29 cm) taller than her husband). [Lovell (2004) p.345] The couple have two daughters, Tamara Ecclestone (born 1984) and Petra Ecclestone (born 1988).

Complete Formula One World Championship results

()* "car raced by Jack Fairman"

Notes

References

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/29426.stm Bernie Ecclestone, the man behind Formula One] . "BBC News" (12 November 1997).
* [http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=3127517 Chicanery in Formula One?] "The Economist" (26 August 2004).
* [http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=6012 Grand prix, grand prizes] . "The Economist" (13 July 2004).
* Griffiths, John. [http://news.ft.com/cms/s/96acae14-3c83-11d9-bb7b-00000e2511c8.html The case that will decide Formula One's future] . "Financial Times" (23 November 2004).
*
* Mott, Sue. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2004/03/20/smmott20.xml The funny billionaire in trapped in the body of a tyrant] . "The Telegraph" (20 March 2004).
* [http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=369345 Mr Formula One] . "The Economist" (13 March 1997).
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3733150.stm The main men in F1] . "BBC Sport" (11 October 2004).
* http://www.ukmotorsport.com/misc/ecclestone.html

External links

* [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/in_depth/17/Bernie%20Ecclestone.html News as it happens about Bernie Ecclestone]
* [http://www.500race.org/Men/men.htm The 500 Owners Association]
* [http://emagazine.credit-suisse.com/article/index.cfm?fuseaction=OpenArticle&aoid=24709&lang=en "Credit Suisse eMagazine": Bernie Ecclestone turns the wheels of Formula 1] - a 2003 interview with Ecclestone