Ecclestone: “It would be much easier if I was guilty”

F1 Fanatic round-up

Posted on

| Written by

In the round-up: Bernie Ecclestone continues to insist his innocence amid allegations he bribed a German banker.

Links

Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more.

‘In Formula One, everyone cheats. The trick is not to get caught (The Times, subscription required)

“I still don’t know what the German prosecutors think. I wish I was guilty – it would be much easier. The charges are a complete load of rubbish.”

Bernie Ecclestone prepared to buy New Jersey Formula One Grand Prix a race promoter (AutoWeek)

“We may do something in New York. We don’t have to own the promoter but we would be happy if we took it on.”

Chilton dismisses ‘rich kid’ snipes (ESPN)

“Chilton was at pains to point out that he had sold stakes in himself to 30 sponsors to fund his place, and only a few of those were to his family.”

Sauber confident of more progress (Autosport)

“Sauber is confident it has made progress with solving the rear-end instability problem that held it back early in the season.”

Schumacher lapping the Nurburgring Nordschleife (YouTube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJco1_A4NAk

Sex, drugs and fast cars: The legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing (The Independent)

“He may have been said to have slept with 5,000 women and had the words “Sex, breakfast of champions” sewn on to his overalls, but for all the gloss and glamour, there was another side to Hunt. He was a nervous driver, who vomited before every race. He was a sensitive animal-lover, who reared budgerigars, and banned hunting on his Buckinghamshire farm.”

Tweets

Comment of the day

Is Red Bull’s criticism of the tyres strengthened or weakened by the form they’ve shown so far this year?

They were saying it in Malaysia, you know, that race they got a one-two in. As I’ve said elsewhere, the fact they are saying these things even though they are leading both championships actually adds credence to their comments.
@John-H

From the forum

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Ned Flanders, Rui Pinto and Thed4N1El!

If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

Zolder held the Belgian Grand Prix for the first time on this day 40 years ago. The race went ahead despite severe problems with the track surface in practice which repeatedly broke up.

Jackie Stewart led a one-two for Tyrrell after team mate Francois Cevert spun out of the lead. Emerson Fittipaldi was third.

Image © Pirelli/LAT

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

41 comments on “Ecclestone: “It would be much easier if I was guilty””

  1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    20th May 2013, 0:12

    Yes, The King & I

    Lucky Lewis who just met Elvis!

    1. He didn’t look very kingly yesterday Rossi! But yes, meeting Elvis would be very lucky indeed as long as it was his less drug-addicted self!

  2. Regarding COTD: What on earth are you on about? RBR leads the championship, barely, but they’re not dominating. Which they would be had the Pirelli tires were more forgiving to their car eating them for breakfast with their downforce. RBR failed to produce a car that can work with these tires in harmony and now they’re trying to change the rules mid-game. Same thing Ferrari did in 2003. Luckily this time the FIA had put a swift end to the nonsense, but a bit ironic given the same man who pushed for an unfair advantage in 2003 is now preventing the unfair advantage from RBR in 2013

    1. The comment was a reply to another comment which stated that Mateschitz is only being right “when his team loses”. A lot of recent comments seem to forget Red Bull were complaining long before Barcelona about these tyres, even at races which they were still superior at.

      I actually think the tyres shouldn’t be changed this season (as in the compounds) because Ferrari and Lotus have done a good job and it wouldn’t be fair, but to assume Red Bull only have their own interests in mind (and not F1 in general) is in my opinion false… although granted I may be being slightly naive.

      At the end of the day, all teams need a healthy F1 and RBR’s strong comments should hopefully ensure we don’t have this fiasco in 2014… Both with regards the short shifting, and the delaminations. Perhaps we should actually thank Red Bull for being so vocal sometimes (this is also hard for me to do, I don’t want Vettel winning either!).

      1. @john-h Thanks for the clarification but I disagree that RBR were dominating at any race this season. In Malaysia Mercedes ran them close(and they were lucky about Alonso too). at Bahrain Lotus were faster in the race and arguably Ferrari as well. RBR were consistently against the tires ,true, but IMO, you are indeed being slightly naive, believing they have anything more than their personal interests in mind. Specifically Adrian Newey is I believe very genuinely opposing the artificial slowing down of cars to preserve tires, but had RBR been dominating as he believes they should be, he would keep his mouth shut as well. In sum, RBR aren’t different from any other F1 team, be that Ferrari, Lotus or any other past or present in pursuing their personal interests short-term, without realizing that they can’t hurt F1 in the long term, which is not in their interests as well. This is not a criticism of RBR in particular, but they shoudn’t be given any plaudits for “staunchly opposing the tires” either

        1. “CAN hurt F1 in the long term”. Sorry

    2. I agree with COTD, I’ve said it here before. Red Bull kept the same speech at all occasions, pretty much like Lotus (with different opinion) but Ferrari were nowhere to be found on this matter before last week through a secret blogger…

  3. I’m actually surprised that Schumi’s Mercedes made it around the 22 km long track without destroying the tyres completely.

    1. Epic COTD is epic!

      1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
        20th May 2013, 4:54

        When the cars make these demonstration runs, they don’t use the compunds running the same year (probably 2012 specs?)

        1. No, its a special made, extra hard demonstration compound (the idea is that a team learns as little as possible by using it for these runs)

          1. And it shows in the video – look how much MSC is sliding around!

    2. @kingshark if he’d been going full pelt on the new tyres then yes, I think he’d have had a delamination and maybe gone for a trip through the forest!

      As has been said though, these are harder demonstration tyres.

  4. I don’t know how Bernie is going to fit a race in New York, he should first sort out all the important races in Europe and focus on regions around the world where F1 would really be a success, if that means only 2 or 3 races in Asia then so be it, at least they would have a chance to last more than a couple of years.

    1. It’s all about money. Bernie sells F1 as must-have event for emerging nations and it kinda works for him. Locals might not show any interest and the atmosphere can look bleak but fees are not linked to attendance so money will keep pouring into FOM’s bag. Most of “new markets” nations can shut public discontent toward misuse of public funds “in a minute” and they can keep running the race at a huge cost year after year, such behavior from public servers in old democracies is very tricky because they should pay dearly when elections day comes. Classic European races will be saved the day they manage to reduce share of public funds financing the event, it should come through fee reduction or more private sponsorship.

      In debt ridden Europe it’s getting even worse to get public funds for such events, I fear for the future of some iconic races like Spa…

  5. Piece or trickery the Cotd, especially if you take in consideration that the RBR had already said that earlier in the weekend when they knew that in dry conditions they wouldn’t make pole. About James Hunt’s nervousness the vomiting before the race start was obviously because of the drinking.

    1. Red Bull knows since Australia race that Ferrari and Lotus are easily better in race trim and that’s why they kept complaining. They know they only lead championships because Ferrari failed to maximize their package in Malaysia and Bahrain.
      I don’t know how unaware and naive you have to be, to claim that Red Bull wants to change the tires that keep them ahead of the competition, and that lead in the championship after a few races is a perfect indication of the respective cars’ speeds.

  6. is there no more caption competition anymore? miss it alot.

    1. @um1234 As you’d imagine the Caption Competition is contingent on having a good enough picture and they seem to be a bit thin on the ground at the moment. But if I find some that I think would work for it then I’ll certainly run some again.

      1. @keithcollantine how about Alonso’s front wing failure in Malaysia, or indeed the podium there? I’m sure there’d be a few puns you could make with that!

  7. This video is the same but has sound:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJco1_A4NAk

    1. @mtlracer Thanks, have added it.

    2. I wish that flippin’ commentator would shut up so we can hear the engine!

  8. Abdurahman (@)
    20th May 2013, 6:00

    Regarding James Hunt love of budgies, Alan Jones claims he only used them as an excuse to get out of the house away from his missus to the aviary and “spliff” up!! Legends of F1 interview

  9. “I wish I was guilty – it would be much easier.”
    -Bernie Ecclestone

    Another in a long line of Bernie-isms littered along the roadsides and byways of Formula 1. Is Mr. Ecclestone the chief of F1 or a semi-comedic character in an unknown Shakespearean tragedy? One wonders with such utterances as – Hitler got things done – or – women should dress in white like all the other domestic appliances. Who is his head writer or does he just wing it on the fly?

    Examine the latest quote above – “I wish I was guilty – it would be much easier.” On the surface it seems like a fairly normal sentence, until you scrutinize it more closely. Does he really wish he was guilty? How would it make things easier? Is it not easier to defend a position without guilt? Or is it words designed to throw the unsuspecting and unawares off the track. Is it an admission of non-guilt or a twist of words to create wiggle room and yet again change the subject at hand?

    He also said the charges are rubbish, but where does he ever say he did nothing wrong or illegal? Even his excuse of having to pay blackmail to avoid a further legal problem doesn’t make it right.

    Many times the life of Mr. Ecclestone has nearly tumbled apart like a house of cards and even this next chapter may still not yet be the final curtain. If it does indeed force his exit, who can take the place of the twisted wordsmith of Formula 1?

    1. Bernie is a known philanthropist and animal lover, equally admired for his modesty and for keeping touch with reality as much as for his selflessness and trendy haircuts.
      What our dear Bernard is saying, is that if he was guilty, he would have handed himself in anyway, making it all much easier, instead of trying to prove his innocence.

      Good old, Bernie, as pure as a driven snow, leading by example.

  10. Happy birthday to all of you guys @ned_flander, Rui Pinto and to @Thed4N1El

    1. Ha, Flanders fluked (by me that is) there, have a great day @ned_flanders

    2. repeat offender there, lets finally get this right! ned-flanders

    3. ehm, this is getting embarresing, maybe its my new keyboard then.

      Anyway, have a great birthday @ned-flanders!

      1. Aditya (@adityafakhri)
        20th May 2013, 9:04

        ha, practice makes perfect!

    4. Don’t be embarrassed @bascb you make up for it by persevering :)

      Happy birthdays to you people, enjoy it @Thed4N1El, @ned-flanders and Rui Pinto!

    5. Traverse (@)
      20th May 2013, 15:35

      Haha! @bascb. You finally got it Ding-dang-diddly-widdly-right!!!

  11. Bernard Charles Ecclestone is a great man in motorsport history. He have done so much for Formula One as a sport and a company.

    But now because of upcoming new turbo era I think that new boss also is needed.

  12. “Mister Formula 1 himself,” says the German komentator

  13. I see they didn’t manage to scrub the C&B off the track. It can still be clearly seen at 10:07.

    1. Did they try? I’d say it would be a bit of a futile task!

      1. I heard the ring was closed while attempting to remove it. Maybe there was more than one?

  14. Awful sound of the blown difuser.
    Sounds like a coffee machine

  15. I do believe those “rich kid snipes” are related to the fact that many feel there are better drivers out there looking to make their way into F1, of which I am one of. Really, the whole system needs to be re-structured so that who gets seats isn’t reliant on how much money they have but instead how much talent they have. I wonder how different the grid would look then…

Comments are closed.