Ecclestone has vowed never to retire.

[BT46B]

Well thats a lie, Bernis is clearly siging up all grand prix deals on long term contracts setting the future of F1 for some years to come, they are all getting long contracts, if all the slots are full what can he do?

Are you joking? Bernie is dealing the ultimate controlling hand - he will be in charge from the grave!

[Redstorm]

Anyone own a garlic farm? Ill bring the stakes..........

[slorydn1]

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/504...ct-in-valencia

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[/LEFT]

Damn the bad luck :

[ioan]

People who don't want to leave... usually get pushed out.
The day will come when the mass media will throw a fiesta over Bernie's ousting from F1.

[Alfa Fan]

Bernie is F1. He will leave when he pleases.

[MrMetro]

Actually I do. Though I really dislike the greedy lil bastage, I also realize that F1 could have easily gone the way of CART or the IRL without Bernie's heavy, guiding hand.

What was the popular saying from a few years ago? You can hate the game, but don't hate the playa!

F1 is SO much better off with Mosley gone (IMO). But I fear that we may end up missing lil Bernie once he dies... since he's not going to fade away on his own. I'm really surprised that the major investors haven't insisted upon a succession plan though. Even ol' Rupert Murdoch has been forced to do that.

yes, f1 is very much a better place with mosley gone, in fact, all fia motorsports in general are better with mosley gone imo.

[Jag_Warrior]

People who don't want to leave... usually get pushed out.
The day will come when the mass media will throw a fiesta over Bernie's ousting from F1.

Maybe so. I just remember what a goof I thought Andrew Craig was (former head of CART). And then this guy named Tony George seized control of AOWR... and now it's barely hanging onto life.

I'm certainly no fan of the little man. But I also realize that he lives and breathes Formula One. IMO, it's really ALL he cares about. His wife left him... he didn't miss a beat. That one daughter of his is like the Paris Hilton of Europe... he doesn't miss a beat. All I'm saying is, as bad as one might think one person is, there is always somebody worse out there.

I doubt we'll ever see a powerful figure like Bernie in F1 again. That will have its positives. But it also might have some distinct negatives. A person like Tony George could destroy in a couple of years what it's taken Bernie Ecclestone 30+ years to build. And the team owners in F1 are probably worse than the old CART owners, when it comes to selfishly guarding their interests (above the sport). That's why I hope Bernie is putting together a good, solid succession plan. Remember, Augustus was great. Caligula... not so much.

[Easy Drifter]

June 2110: Reports of Bernie Ecclestone's retirement are premature reports his 15th wife.

[Tazio]

The thing about Bernie as he becomes older is I don't think he realizes that his shameless headline grabbing is in some peoples opinion "bringing the sport into disrepute"! He's like Don King only he never served time in prison for killing someone! The way he hypes drivers and teams is not becoming of the principal/figure-head of a "league"
Instead of initiating a personal correspondence with a team principal he prefers to go public, and insight the consumer. If someone says their life would be miserable if they had to live life retired, I would take them at their word. I would only suggest that he take on the challenge of another job.
For instance He could start a new R.C. sailboat league, and try to break Germany's strangle-hold on international competition.
I think he suffers from,
The Short Man/ Napoleon syndrome. Myself I will enjoy f1 with or without him.
I may take exception with the way he promotes it, and other areas that I think need improvement like holding a gun to the head of traditional F1 Venues, by showing them he has absolutely no problem moving that venue to a place that not only doesn't have a tradition of world class auto racing. One's that will most likely discourage the sports fan-base that can afford to travel 1/8 of the way around the world to attend, but not 1/2! So I ignore the nonsense that comes out of his pie-hole as much as I can and concentrate on the morsels he sees fit to provide! The alternative (F1 turning into the IRL) is worse!

[Saint Devote]

As someone that has "known" Bernie since I was a kid, having first heard his name and discovered who he was in 1974, "we" go back a long way and I have learnt a lot about him.

Suffice to say, that while I have disagreed with him at times on specific decisions taken, I do support him completely because of his great audacity and encapsulates the motto of the British SAS: he who dares wins - and THAT fear friends has always been at the heart of everything including aproaching the prettiest woman in the room!

Bernie is no accident of nature. He is a force to be reckoned with and succeeds for everyone in F1, including fans.