In the Interlagos paddock, to attend the penultimate GP of the 2022 season, a rather familiar face to Formula 1 fans reappeared: that of Bernie Ecclestone. The former deus ex machina of the entire Circus returned to attend a race for the first time since 2019, when it was also shown in that case in the San Paolo event. Ecclestone’s appearance is mainly linked to the role of his wife, the Brazilian Fabiana Flosi, who currently serves as the FIA Vice President for South America. The fact that the 92-year-old British businessman is wandering around the Brazilian paddock, however, could be an embarrassment for F1.
Ecclestone in fact had expressed rather controversial opinions in recent months regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, expressing solidarity and friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. E, whose positions on many international political events have often caused discussion, even said he was ready to “take a bullet“To defend his”friend Putin“. Scandal had also aroused the comments, always uttered by Ecclestone, which tended to downplay the gravity of racist comments given in a television studio by Nelson Piquet against Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time British world champion was invited by Ecclestone to “to put aside”Similar claims.
Formula 1 reacted with disdain to these wordsissuing a statement and recalling how the comments made by Ecclestone represented “his personal views“And they were “In stark contrast to the position of the modern values of our sport”. All these precedents make the presence of the British manager at the Brazilian weekend rather difficult to manage – in terms of communication and image.
#Brazilian #Ecclestone #pro #Putin #comments #FormulaPassion.it