Ecclestone at 95: ‘Flavio is my only friend left’

Marking his 95th birthday, former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone says that at this point in his life, just one person still qualifies as a true friend - Flavio Briatore.

Speaking to Bild in Gstaad, where he hosted journalist Helmut Uhl, 74, and former Formula 1 Management colleague Hannah Gude, Ecclestone reflected on his long, often solitary journey through the sport and business.

“My daughters wanted a big party,” he said with a grin. “I’d rather fly with Fabi and Ace to my ranch in Brazil.” When asked how many friends he has, Ecclestone paused.

“That’s a very, very good question. Of course, many friends came and went,” he said, gesturing air quotes. “But I had real friends - please wait a moment - maybe four. Yes, four.”

Three of those, he added, are gone - Jochen Rindt, Max Mosley, and Niki Lauda. When Uhl handed him a photo from Lauda’s funeral, Ecclestone returned it instantly.

“I don’t want it,” he said. So who remains? “Flavio Briatore,” he replied. “The only one still alive.” Asked what defines friendship, Ecclestone explained: “It can only be someone who sticks with you through thick and thin over a long period, someone you trust completely, and who isn’t afraid to take risks. “

I have an example with Flavio. When his yacht was seized by Italian authorities in 2010 for unpaid fuel tax, I bought it at auction and sold it back to him for the same price, plus one dollar,” he laughed.

When asked if he worried about authorities reading that, Ecclestone smiled and mentioned Karl-Heinz Zimmermann as another friend: “That’s friendship for me, but the four I named were with me longer and closer.”

Now dividing his time between Switzerland and Brazil, Ecclestone still watches every race. “I follow all the sessions, even practice, and I get up at the right times for the overseas races,” he said.

His wife Fabiana, 49, described him as a committed father to their five-year-old son, Ace. “It’s working very well. Bernie and I are a team, and we raise Ace together,” she said. “When I get impatient, Bernie calmly tells Ace he can’t watch TV until he’s done his homework.”

“It’s not easy to explain to Ace that online, tablet, and YouTube time is only on Tuesdays while his classmates can do it every day,” she added. “I think getting his first phone at 12 or 14 is sensible.”

Ecclestone beamed: “Ace has accepted it and doesn’t complain. He’s bright, intelligent, a wonderful boy. I already see no limits to what he can achieve.”

However, his fortune is estimated at up to $10bn, Ecclestone insists wealth was never the goal. “It sounds unbelievable, I know, but money and being rich were never my motivation,” he said. “My ideas and deals were what drove me.”