Ecclestone: I would have buried Formula E

Former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone believes he would have seen off the threat of the ever-growing Formula E if he was still in charge.

The all-electric series was launched back in 2014 and since then has grown in popularity – the current grid includes a host of former F1 racers such as Felipe Massa, Stoffel Vandoorne, Sebastian Buemi, Pascal Wehrlein and the first two-time Formula E Drivers’ champion Jean-Eric Vergne.

It is being called the future of motor racing by some, but in the past CEO of the Formula One Group Chase Carey has called the series more of a “street party“.

And Ecclestone, the man who was sacked when Liberty Media took over in 2017, says if he was still in charge then he would have “buried” Formula E.

Speaking to Autocar, he said: “I feel sorry for the guys running F1 now, as they have to consider the impact of Formula E. I would have buried it. It would have saved all the arguments. It wouldn’t have happened if I had been there.

“But now everyone is only talking about electric cars, so it would be a bit of a courageous thing now to go against it.”

Ecclestone revealed that it was Carey who fired him in a meeting, but it seems there are no hard feelings.

“It was alright, actually,” he said.

“Chase Carey came into this office, sat there, told me what was what and asked me to sign a legal document. I signed it without reading it. No time for that. He had already explained.”

- TEAMtalk media