Bernie Ecclestone
Graham is in Azerbaijan with Bernie Ecclestone – the man who made Formula 1 a worldwide sporting phenomenon and led the premier racing league until his 40-year reign ended in 2017. Ecclestone shares stories from early beginnings as a used car salesman to earning enormous wealth running F1 and bumpy business relations with Presidents Trump and Putin. We also talk with key members of the racing community (Niki Lauda, Nico Rosberg, Christian Horner), who share fond memories of working with the former F1 boss.
Bernie Ecclestone
EPISODES
Bernie Ecclestone: Nightly bombings as a child
Bernie Ecclestone shares stories from his childhood of growing up in the 1930s in the outskirts of London and his excitement for the nightly air raids. Plus, Bernie talks about growing up without money and why he feels sorry for his daughters, who didn’t get the same opportunity to grow up poor.
Bernie Ecclestone: My negotiating tactics
Former CEO of Formula 1, Bernie Ecclestone, offers thoughts on his reputation as a tough negotiator and why he valued handshake agreements over signed contracts.
Bernie Ecclestone: Trump wanted name on toilet paper?
Bernie Ecclestone explains why he disagrees with democracy and why he thinks the U.S. government should step aside and let President Donald Trump do his job.
Bernie Ecclestone: Rejecting Queen’s knighthood?
Bernie Ecclestone explains his friendship and support of the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Plus, Bernie shares why he would reject the honor of being knighted and why the entire system of honoring individuals with knighthood is wrong.
Bernie Ecclestone on his cut of F1 money
Bernie Ecclestone on the Concorde Agreement and how it created tremendous momentum to grow the sport of F1 racing. Plus, Bernie explains that other key players were originally happy to give him 30 percent of the profits.
Bernie Ecclestone: Mercedes wins hurt F1
Bernie Ecclestone explains why race promoters across the Formula 1 circuit are losing money, how he thinks the problem can be resolved and his desire to have every F1 car equipped with similar engines.
Bernie Ecclestone: Americans uninterested in F1
Bernie Ecclestone on why the average American sport fan is not interested in Formula 1, the poor television ratings it receives in the U.S. and the sport redirecting its growth plans to Asia.
Bernie Ecclestone: Safety was unimportant to F1 drivers
Former Formula 1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, reflects on the racing death of his close friend and the safety measures he installed into the sport to reduce driver casualties.
Bernie Ecclestone: Regrets after Mosley sex scandal
Bernie Ecclestone on how Formula 1 rebounded from losing its biggest sponsors and why he wishes he would not have asked Max Mosley to step down from his leadership role after Mosley’s personal decisions started making headlines.
Bernie Ecclestone: I am a dictator
Bernie Ecclestone explains his leadership style and why he would rather get the job done himself instead of delegate it to colleagues.
Bernie Ecclestone: My brutal mugging, kidnapping of mother-in-law
Bernie Ecclestone shares stories of opportunistically profiting from a mugging in which he was knocked unconscious and when his mother-in-law was kidnapped and he asked the police if he could negotiate the ransom request.
Bernie Ecclestone: Daughters depleting inheritance
Bernie Ecclestone says he regrets being so dedicated to his job that he lost out on spending time with his daughters, and that he’s making up for it now that they’re adults. Bernie also talks about his daughters’ large homes and why his second wife left him.
Bernie Ecclestone: Stripped of my power
Bernie Ecclestone offers his takes on why Liberty Media didn’t think he was running Formula 1 correctly, his thoughts on Chase Carey as the new CEO and how he’s been silenced in his honorary role as chairman emeritus. Plus, Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner says he expects Bernie to be frustrated with his current lack of influence in the sport he’s dedicated himself to growing.
Bernie Ecclestone: Lewis Hamilton is the best
Bernie Ecclestone offers his opinions of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel. Plus, Christian Horner of Red Bull Racing details the one-sided backgammon rivalry and bets between Bernie and Sebastian.
Bernie Ecclestone: F1 and human rights concerns
Bernie Ecclestone explains the process of bringing Formula 1 racing to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and defends the decision to work with the country despite its human rights concerns.
Niki Lauda: Bernie Ecclestone is always 2 steps ahead
Three-time Formula 1 champ, Niki Lauda, discusses the graphic scene in which he came to learn the name Bernie Ecclestone. Niki also shares his thoughts on Bernie’s personality, including Bernie’s big heart and propensity to think two steps ahead with business decisions.
Niki Lauda: Battling Bernie Ecclestone for millions
Three-time Formula 1 champ, Niki Lauda, says Bernie Ecclestone was not concerned with driver safety, plus shares stories of Bernie cooling a F1 track with ice cubes and how Niki landed a $2 million contract, despite Bernie’s efforts to keep it at $500,000.
Christian Horner: My best man Bernie Ecclestone
Red Bull Racing’s team principal, Christian Horner, looks back on the fear and intimidation of his first interaction with Bernie Ecclestone, but how there’s another side to the former Formula 1 boss. Christian discusses Bernie’s private charitable donations, his love for animals and how he’ll be remembered for years to come.
Touring Azerbaijan’s Old City
Our guide, Rustam Shafiyev, shows Graham Bensinger around Baku during the Bernie Ecclestone episode taping – in conjunction with Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Bernie Ecclestone: My friend Vladimir Putin
Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone explains why he wishes Russian President Vladimir Putin was the leader across all of Europe.
