Bernie Ecclestone turns 95 – ‘I’ve never been so happy’

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone celebrates his 95th birthday on Tuesday and according to close friend and veteran journalist Roger Benoit, the sport’s onetime “tsunami” remains sharp, content, and quietly amused by his own longevity.

“I don’t think about it, because at my age you no longer count in years,” Ecclestone told Blick when asked if he hopes to reach 100. “Even if I’m aching more often now,” he added, joking that his daily pills “are multiplying.”

Ecclestone still avoids alcohol - “I need milk and fruit juices,” he quipped - and lives a peaceful life with wife Fabiana, 49, and their five-year-old son Ace on their farm in Ampero, near Sao Paulo. “My greatest wish has come true,” he told Benoit. “I can now talk to my son Ace. And with Fabiana, I’ve never been so happy.”

The duo’s friendship spans five decades of Formula 1 tales, from fierce backgammon contests to long, late-night debates about politics and racing. Benoit recalled that during the last US elections, Ecclestone, ever the gambler, refused to bet on Donald Trump.

“‘The odds are too poor. It’s not worth it,’ he said, and when I looked over a little later, Bernie had fallen asleep,” Benoit wrote.