Bernie Ecclestone: king of sport

441 Pages·6.85 MB·English

by  Ecclestone, Bernie, Lovell, Terry

• Bernie Prelims I-X 26/8/09 01:39 Page i
BERNIE
ECCLESTONE
KING OF
SPORT
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BERNIE
ECCLESTONE
KING OF
SPORT
T E R R Y L O V E L L
Published by John Blake Publishing Ltd,
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ePub ISBN 978 1 78219 262 6
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PDF ISBN 978 1 78219 340 1
First published in paperback in 2009
ISBN: 978 1 84454 826 2
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© Text copyright Terry Lovell, 2009
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• Bernie Prelims I-X 26/8/09 01:39 Page v
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my mum, a lifelong supporter and a lifelong
fighter. She spent her life giving so much, seemingly getting little in
return; yet she gained eternity. And to my dad, who did his best.
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CONTENTS
PREFACE IX
1 ‘SENNA DEAD? NO, HE’S INJURED 3
HIS HEAD’
2 HOW AUNTIE MAY CHANGED YOUNG 15
BERNARD’S LIFE FOR EVER
3 THE RISE TO RICHES OF BRABHAM’S 29
NEW BOSS
4 THE ‘GARAGISTES’ TAKE ON THE 53
FIA ‘GRANDIS’
5 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OR POLITICAL 95
POWER? IT’S BERNIE’S DILEMMA
6 JEAN-MARIE BALESTRE: LE GRAND 113
FROMAGE
7 THE KEY TO RICHES – TELEVISION RIGHTS 135
8 BRABHAM TAKEN FOR A SWISS ROLL 158
9 BERNIE GOES WEST – AND MEETS 169
HIS MATCH
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10 HOW CANADA LOST ITS NSA – 194
AND BRANDS HATCH AND SILVERSTONE
THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
11 THE BEGINNING OF BERNIE’S 235
TELEVISION RIGHTS STRANGLEHOLD
12 THE RISE OF PRESIDENT MAX, HOW 255
THE FIA LOST MILLIONS, AND THE
SHOWDOWN IN BRUSSELS
13 THE SINKING OF BERNIE’S $2.5 BILLION 282
FLOTATION PLANS
14 BERNIE’S ANNUS HORRIBILIS 301
15 BRUSSELS DELIVERS ITS VERDICT – 319
AND BERNIE MAKES ANOTHER BILLION
16 GOODBYE KAREL… HELLO LEO 335
17 THE CASH-FOR-ASH AFFAIR 348
18 MARRIAGE, MONEY AND BLACKMAIL 365
19 WHAT A FUNNY OLD GAME 382
20 THE ITALIAN CONNECTION 395
NOTES 415
GLOSSARY 419
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PREFACE
Aformer team boss, who has known Bernie Ecclestone for many years, is
talking about a controversial dispute involving a well-known motor
sport figure:
‘Bernie once said to me, “First you have to get on, then you get rich, and
then you get honest. The trouble with – is that he’s still trying to get rich.”’
We have not the liberty to choose whether we will serve or not; the only
liberty we have is to choose the master we shall serve.’ Anon