F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone reveals he once planned to buy Wimbledon for £600m

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that he once considered making a £600m bid to buy Wimbledon.

The 84-year-old approached Ion Tiriac, who managed tennis star Boris Becker for nine years, about putting their money together to purchase the Association of Tennis Professionals.

The duo discussed the notion around 20 years ago while watching Goran Ivanisevic play a Wimbledon match, but the pair never went through with their proposal.

"At the time, we were looking to try and take over the ATP and run the tennis," Ecclestone told The Telegraph. "Ion is a very good friend of mine. He used to run a lot more tennis tournaments than anybody. That's how it all happened.

"We were very serious. I don't think in the end we made any sort of offer. We were looking to see if it was possible and how we would do it.

"Until we got everything lined up properly, we couldn't make a bid. We needed to make sure all the other people were on board."

Ecclestone became F1 executive in 1978.