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He’s gone, but not forgotten. Formula One big man Bernie Ecclestone is no longer in charge of the sport he spent 40 years at the helm of, according to Bernie himself.
Ecclestone was ousted from his longtime role as Formula One bossman back in September of 2016, when American entertainment conglomerate Liberty Media took control of F1 in a deal that valued the sport at $8 billion. At the time, it was announced that former NewsCorp executive Chase Carey would take over as the chairman of the sport, while Bernie would stay on as CEO—or so it seemed.
Now, in an interview with Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Ecclestone has reportedly clarified things: Carey is also CEO of F1, while Bernie has been been pushed to the side.
“I do not run the company anymore,” he told the publication, according to Google Translate. “My position has been taken over by Chase Carey.”
His new title, he told Auto Motor und Sport, is something along the lines of “Honorary President,” though to hear him describe it, it’s still somewhat amorphous.
“My new position is now such an American expression. A kind of honorary president,” he said. “I’ll get this title without knowing what it means. “
As part of his new job and (apparent lack of) responsibilities, Ecclestone will still have an office at Formula One headquarters in London, he said. And he reportedly already has a tentative plan as to what to do now that his head isn’t quite so burdened with the weight of the crown of Formula One kingship.
“My days in the office are getting a bit calmer now,” he said. “Maybe I’ll come to a Grand Prix.”
