Controversial statement: former F1 boss defends Putin and criticises Zelensky! I’d take a bullet for him, he says

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone made a very controversial statement, which was almost immediately condemned by the queen of motorsport herself. Ecclestone defended Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he would take a bullet for him. What is Ecclestone’s reason for this?

Formula One is currently dealing with one scandal after another. First, the Red Bull Racing team dismissed Jüri Vips from its service because of a racist remark the young Estonian driver made on the Twitch platform while playing Call of Duty with friends.

After that, former Brazilian racer and three-time world champion Nelson Piquet had a racist insult for Lewis Hamilton, which perhaps could not go unnoticed by everyone. And now Ecclestone, the former Formula One boss, has also made a very controversial statement.

He told Good Morning Britain that he still considers Putin a friend and would take a bullet for him. Ecclestone then emphasised why he still feels that way.

“Because he’s a first class man and what he’s doing is something he believed was the right thing to do. But unfortunately, like everyone, he makes mistakes. And when you make a mistake, you have to do your best to get out of it,” explained Ecclestone, whose words were quoted by Motorsport.

“The other guy in Ukraine (President Zelensky – ed.) – I understand he was a comedian and I think he wants to continue in his profession. I think if he thought about things, he would certainly make every effort to speak accordingly,” the former F1 boss continued.

Ecclestone, on the other hand, said the president of the Russian Federation is a reasonable man who knows what he is doing. Zelensky, he says, should listen to Putin. Needless to say, Ecclestone’s remarks provoked a wave of criticism, with F1 itself immediately objecting to his statement.

“Bernie Ecclestone’s comments are his personal views and are in very sharp contrast to the stance of modern values of our sport,” F1 said.

The presenter of that programme, Ben Shephard, subsequently asked Ecclestone if he wanted to apologise for the thousands of innocent lives lost in Ukraine.

“I’m not apologising, but it wasn’t deliberate. Look at the past when America was stuffing itself into various countries that had nothing to do with America. And I’m pretty sure Ukraine, if it wanted to get out of it properly, would have done so,” Ecclestone replied.

Ecclestone went on to say that he is absolutely certain that Putin is now thinking that he should never have started this war in the first place. The ninety-one-year-old Briton said he has not had a chance to speak to the Russian president.

Sources