Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to face trial over bribery charges

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone will stand a criminal trial over charges of bribery.

The charges are in relation to a secret payment said to be worth £27m to German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky, who was involved in the 2005 sale of F1 to current owners CVC Capital Partners.

According to Eurosport, a German court has announced that criminal proceedings have been brought forward against 83-year-old Ecclestone.

Sky News reports that Ecclestone will step down from the board of the company until the trial is concluded, but will continue to manage the sport on a day-to-day basis.

The trial has been given provisional a start date of April 23.