Ecclestone has vowed never to retire.

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

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"I cannot stop," the sport's British chief executive told the German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag.
"For me, to retire means to die. If I were to wake up in the morning and have no more problems or nothing more to worry about, then it will be no longer worth waking up," the former team owner, who rose to power with Max Mosley by his side in the late 70s, added.

Read more: F1: Ecclestone Vows Never To Retire, Red Bull To Use F-duct In Valencia | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications http://www.themotorreport.com.au/504...#ixzz0rRJNYHx8

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If he will not retire, then he needs to be removed... with force.

Oh, by the way in a totally unrelated story, I'm setting up a charity called "Sniper Shots for Motorsport Supremos", in which we'll pay for snipers to target certain people.

You have to admire his spirit, though...

I doubt even death could stop him. A good taxidermist and a tape player to create a Bernie-bot - if you will - and we'll never know the difference.

All we need now is ten phrases to program into the Bernie-bot to give sound bites to the press or delegations. I nominate;

"Gimmie more money"

And/or

"If you want to build a world class GP facility, don't go to Silverstone to see how its done."

Anyone else?

Can someone please arrange for Bernie to meet another aggressive Pomeranian that will bite his nose again. Thanks.

knowing bernie he will turn out to be immortal, and more and more F1 races will go to places nobody wants to go to but who have a shedload of cash.

thanks bernie, thanks.

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?

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Originally Posted by Mysterious Rock

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?

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Get run over by a truck!! :eek:

I'm not surprised.

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Originally Posted by F1boat

You have to admire his spirit, though...

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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.

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Originally Posted by Mysterious Rock

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?

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

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

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

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

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Damn the bad luck :p :

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.

Bernie is F1. He will leave when he pleases.

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Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior

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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

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

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!

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.

It's a worry but I don't think Bernie has as much control as he once did over everything. With Max gone, FOM and the FIA do not appear to be the united force they once were (even if they did a good impression of fighting in public) plus as long as the teams stay together as FOTA they are much stronger.

Oh and now the world has lost all its money down the back of the sofa I think we - the fans - are more influential than before. Admittedly its only as much influence as a fly has on the truck on who's windscreen its just splattered, but thats still a step up. F1 and Bernie appears to have finally twigged that the whole house of cards comes crashing down if no one is watching.

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Originally Posted by Sonic

I doubt even death could stop him. A good taxidermist and a tape player to create a Bernie-bot - if you will - and we'll never know the difference.

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Weekend at Bernies?

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Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior

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.

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Holy Sh!t Jag you make several excellent points here (as a refugee from the American OW Racing Wars I state this)

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Originally Posted by henners88

I just wish he would have abit of respect for the fans who are willing to go and watch his events, rather than lining his pockets and pleasing investor above all others.

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All I can say is that that is part of Bernie's personality and always has been. He's always been getting the best deal and looking after investors since he was very young. Don't think that this is just a new, selfish approach. He's been at it since before the 50s at least.

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Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior

I'm certainly no fan of the little man. But I also realize that he lives and breathes Formula One.

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No, he lives and breathes money.

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Originally Posted by ioan

No, he lives and breathes money.

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Plus one............................................... effing billion :dozey:

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Originally Posted by Sonic

I doubt even death could stop him. A good taxidermist and a tape player to create a Bernie-bot - if you will - and we'll never know the difference.

All we need now is ten phrases to program into the Bernie-bot...

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lol!!

'death couldn't stop him'.... 'Bernie-bot'??

That's classic! Sounds like an action-figure of an evil movie character.

That's a fair bump.

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Originally Posted by AAReagles

lol!!

'death couldn't stop him'.... 'Bernie-bot'??

That's classic! Sounds like an action-figure of an evil movie character.

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Chucky?... The Terminator??... Emperor Palpatine???....

Bernie forever!

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/218114/...-f1-entry.html

Piech had been a notable obstruction to any ambition VW may have had of stepping into the top flight, despite the company's assorted success with its varied brands in other branches of motorsport. Ironically, the reason for his obstinate stance, Bernie Ecclestone's presence at the head of F1, may have been about to change, with the Briton apparently suggesting that he would step down if it paved the way for the Germans to come on board.

How very disingenuous of Crash to take something that Bernie says seriously.