Bernie Ecclestone once said he would very happily “stand in front” Vladimir Putin if the Russian president was ever confronted by a machine gun wielding soldier.
Even for the controversial ex- Formula 1 chief that was quite the statement to make, considering his comments at the time proceeded Russia ’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Fast forward to the present day, the 91-year-old businessman metaphorically threw himself in the line of fire for Putin once again.
In the wake of a Russia’s terrifying ‘full-scale invasion’ of Ukraine, or as Putin calls it "special military operation", Ecclestone stated Putin was a “straightforward and honourable” man.
And while Putin’s assault on Ukraine continues, Mirror Sport further analyses Ecclestone’s long-standing relationship with the Russian.
“As a person, I found him very straightforward and honourable,” Ecclestone said in a bizarre interview with Times Radio which had not long proceeded the invasion of Ukraine.
“[He] did exactly what he said he was going to do without any arguments.”
When asked about the possibility of F1 chiefs being blinded by Russian money, he added: “I don’t see what it has to do with Russian money”.
Ecclestone was adamant Russia should not be stripped off the 2022 Moscow Grand Prix.
At the time of the interview, the wheels of Russia’s attack, or as Putin calls it, “special military operation” were already in full motion.
However, those familiar with his equally strange interview with the Times in 2019 would not have raised an eyebrow.
"If someone had a machine gun and was prepared to shoot Putin, I would stand in front of him,” Ecclestone said to the Times in 2019.
“Because he's a good guy. He's never done anything that isn't doing good things for people." He also added: "I would like him running Europe.
“We haven't got anybody, so it couldn't be any worse. He does what he says he is going to do... I am not a supporter of democracy. You need a dictator.”
When asked about Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Ecclestone defended Putin stating “he wanted to bring Russia back together again”, before claiming “storytellers” made up the assassination attempt of the Skripals.
“He didn’t do that. He would be too busy to be worrying about that sort of thing. Storytellers make these things up,” Ecclestone added.
With Ecclestone out of the Formula 1 picture, the FIA followed in UEFA’s footsteps by stripping Russia of the Moscow Grand Prix that would have taken place on the weekend of September 25th .
In a statement, the FIA said, "The FIA visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together.
"We are watching developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.
"On Thursday, Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances."
Having brought the F1 championships to Russia for the first time in almost 100 years in 2010, Ecclestone will likely be disappointed about the FIA’s decision.
He pushed to bring what would have been dubbed the Grand Prix of the Soviet Union only for plans to fall through.
However, he eventually announced in 2010 that Sochi’s Autodom Arena would hold its first Grand Prix four years later.
This decision to cancel the Moscow Grand Prix would likely irk Ecclestone – after-all, Ecclestone was unwilling to part from his contract with Russia during their aggression towards Crimea.
“We have a contract,” Ecclestone snapped when asked about calls to boycott Russia in light of their conflict with Crimea. "Our friends there are happy with the contract, we are happy. We will be there.
“'If people have arguments with Russia, maybe they have, but we haven't got any.”
