Ecclestone downplays financial crisis

Eurosport - Thu, 01 Jan 20:20:00 2009

Bernie Ecclestone has moved to play down the impact the global financial crisis will have on the world of Formula One.

2008 Ecclestone - 0

Japanese manufacturer Honda has already pulled out - citing the crisis in the car sales industry - but the F1 supremo said 2009 will be business as usual.

"It's clear that the world financial crisis affects everyone, including the car industry. But it won't affect Formula One seriously," the 78-year-old billionaire said.

Ecclestone said the sport remains a huge draw, with which only the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games can compete.

On a visit to Serbia, he told the local newspaper Press: "As far as I know, all the tickets have been sold for almost every race in the next season.

"Moreover, we signed two huge deals, one with LG and one with DHL.

"It's simple: the big guns who want their ad across the whole world understand that Formula One is the cheapest way to achieve it."

F1-Live.com / Eurosport

Comment 15 - 34 of 54

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. MGA : Racism ? Monkeys are not considered a race .. You'll learn that when you get to grade 4.

    From slimj, on Fri 2 Jan 9:59PM

  2. 'Marnio, Marnio, wherefore art thou Marnio??????????????'

    From m.e.jenner, on Fri 2 Jan 9:54PM

  3. Is you is or is you ain't my baby. Make up your minds you two (one?).

    From m.e.jenner, on Fri 2 Jan 9:39PM

  4. Paddington from peru: it doesn't matter what names you use, you do not, and never have had, anything relevant or intelligent to say about Formula 1. Please go away and die.

    From Biggles, on Fri 2 Jan 9:35PM

  5. With all this talk about what McLaren did. I think the fairest thing to do would have been to give that deserved fine and most importantly force them to give Ferrari they're data also

    From buju b, on Fri 2 Jan 9:25PM

  6. Bernie is right here, there are so many doom and gloom merchants, running around like Fraser in Dad's Army, wailing "we're all doomed, doomed, I tell yoo". We all need F1's characters to create talking points.

    From , on Fri 2 Jan 5:59PM

  7. hey look some one woke bernard the @#$% up

    From piers, on Fri 2 Jan 4:26PM

  8. LEWIS WORLD CHAMP 2009 + TEA WITH THE QUEEN

    WHAT A MAN WHAT A DRIVER

    From I TYSON, on Fri 2 Jan 4:08PM

  9. Bernard you are a tit

    From william c, on Fri 2 Jan 3:29PM

  10. oh my god, you loser's are still going on about Glock?!
    Give it a rest, the season is over!!

    Hamilton is champion, Massa is the loser.

    End of story. if you want to debate something then how about the stewards all trying to help Ferrai all season??

    From william c, on Fri 2 Jan 3:26PM

  11. Bernard, What a sad,sorry, sado you are.

    From GEORGE, on Fri 2 Jan 2:49PM

  12. I think, therefor I think I will have another beer.

    Where did all of these trolls come from?

    From TwinkietheKid, on Fri 2 Jan 2:10PM

  13. And the same old rants start again. God im bored.

    From greyhoundpaul, on Fri 2 Jan 1:09PM

  14. SlimJ
    I couldn't care less what racist comment's you make.As it will show the people on this board as to how far up the evolution scale you have managed to struggle to.

    From MGA, on Fri 2 Jan 11:10AM

  15. Happy New Year! I'm an open minded girl from US, I'm interested in exotic things, photography, dating and sports...I have my photos on --- Tallhub Co m ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have some experience? Just find me out.

    From malarona01, on Fri 2 Jan 10:06AM

  16. OK last season in F1 All the driver put on a good show, they all deserved to win, but there can only be one winner...Put it this way ask yourself this Question "could I drive one of those F1 cars in a race" and thats what its down to,could you, I suspect that if you were truthful in your answer it would be NO, and by reading some of the postings that have been put forward by a few peaple I suspect that driving a normal car would be beyond them, Im not saying the best driver won, but we do have a winner 2008, Mr Lewis Hamilton MBE

    From Phil, on Fri 2 Jan 9:59AM

  17. all time winners :
    Schumacjer 91
    Prost 51
    Senna 41
    Mansell 31
    Stewart 27
    Clark and Lauda 25
    .......
    Damon Hill 22
    Alonso 21
    Raikkonen 17
    Coulthard 13
    Massa 11
    Barrichello and Hamilton 9
    ...
    it's a long way to Tipperrary,
    it's a long way to go....

    From golf in the kingdom, on Fri 2 Jan 9:56AM

  18. steve,
    why are you so aggressive and vulgar?
    bad little boy, go to the corner and shut up !
    ...
    Happy New Year

    From golf in the kingdom, on Fri 2 Jan 7:36AM

  19. jennifer, thanks for that!

    From floydp1947, on Fri 2 Jan 2:59AM

  20. hey marino. love your wheels!!!

    From floydp1947, on Fri 2 Jan 2:58AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account