AFP afpji

Hitler 'got things done', says Formula One boss: report

Sat 04 Jul, 01:16 PM


LONDON (AFP) - Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has described Adolf Hitler as a leader able "get things done" in a discussion about dictators during an interview with The Times newspaper published Saturday.

Asked to comment on accusations that world motorsport chief Max Mosley behaved like a dictator, Ecclestone went on to speak about Hitler, former Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein -- whom he said should have stayed in power-- and the Taliban.

"In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he.... could command a lot of people, able to get things done," Ecclestone told The Times.

"In the end he got lost, so he wasn't a very good dictator."

Ecclestone added: "We did a terrible thing when we supported the idea of getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He was the only one who could control" Iraq. "It was the same (with the Taliban in Afghanistan). We move into countries and we have no idea of the culture. The Americans probably thought Bosnia was a town in Miami. There are people starving in Africa and we sit back and do nothing but we get involved in things we should leave alone."

Ecclestone said Britain's only female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, was also someone who had "got the job done."

"She was the one who built this country up slowly. We've let it go down again."

Ecclestone recently stated that Formula One need a Jewish black female driver to boost the sport's appeal.

"Mr Ecclestone's comments regarding Hitler, female, black and Jewish racing drivers, and dictatorships are quite bizarre," a spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews told The Times.

Denis MacShane, the Labour member of parliament and chairman of a parliamentary inquiry into anti-Semitism, told the paper: "If Mr Ecclestone seriously thinks Hitler had to be persuaded to kill six million Jews, invade every European country and bomb London then he knows neither history and shows a complete lack of judgment."

Last month, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo accused Mosley, the son of 1930s British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, of behaving like a dictator.

 

Comment 1 - 19 of 39

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  1. Ecclestone you a disgrace it time you retired from F1­ with comments like this.

    From John, on Sat 4 Jul 3:26PM

  2. There is no intrinsic value in using Hitler as an­­ example for anything good! Straight roads and VW's­­ would have happened out of the human­ spirit.­

    Let's get back to the racing we all love­ and put­ an end to this rubbish and those would spread­ it - they­ need to find something else to do like­ formimg a new­ racing league (Racing Lawnmowers).

    From bjack43, on Sat 4 Jul 2:40PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    In the late 50s, my most embarrassed silence occurred­ whilst hitching a lift back to town from the Baltic­ beach and cafe I'd just spent a very pleasant day­ on and in, when the car owner, pointed to the road and­ said "Hitler built this road. Everything he did­ was not wrong." That did not mean that everything­ he did was right, far from it but have you read­ Bernie's article and are you attributing views to­ Ecclestone that he does not hold?

    From Nxxx, on Sat 4 Jul 2:32PM

  4. To the gentleman that "knows for a fact" all­ I can say is thank you Bernie!

    From bjack43, on Sat 4 Jul 2:05PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I cannot accept the previous poster who is putting­ words into the mouths of past F1 heros.
    I know for a­ fact that Jim Clark held a very contrary opinion as did­ Graham Hill.
    If you are ignorant of fact please do not­ post rubbish.

    From keithgerrard, on Sat 4 Jul 1:57PM

  6. This article proves how totally corrupt the leadership­­ of Formula 1 is. The likes of Jimmy Clark, Fangio,­ etc.­ would be disgusted with this news story and some­ of the­ "pronouncements of Herr Mosley. In the­ words of­ George Carlin, "It's time to thin­ the­ herd!" Bring FOTA!!

    From bjack43, on Sat 4 Jul 1:51PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Filed under: Government/Legal, BMW,­ Earnings/Financials

    Documentary implicates BMW's­ controlling shareholders in War Crimes
    by Noah Joseph­ on Oct 25th 2007 at 7:01PM

    For those who missed the­ news, a documentary aired late last month at the­ Hamburg film festival and on German television in which­ the Quandt family, principal shareholders in BMW, have­ been implicated in Nazi war crimes stemming from the­ family's past during the Holocaust and concurrent­ Second World War.

    From Ape, on Sat 4 Jul 1:35PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Before all these Jewish organizations criticize Bernie­ they should remember the current genocide actually­ happening in Gaza and being undertaken by the­ 'Jewish' Israeli Government.
    Of course non of­ the members of that government can prove they are Jews­ being of East European extraction but the truth counts­ for little these days.
    The need for cost cuts and­ modern technology in F1 has been caused by the economic­ crisis.
    This was as a direct result of the Zionist­ bankers stealing all your money and our lap dog­ government paying them Zillions of your pounds instead­ of arresting them and throwing away the key.
    F1 can­ only survive with the FIA and a President of huge­ intellect and strength of character.
    Max is the only­ person available who will not sell out to the obsolete­ car industry and the oil industry. He would also make a­ far better PM than the current weed.

    From keithgerrard, on Sat 4 Jul 1:28PM

  9. I just can't believe these two characters have the­ most important positions in F1. I smell a rotten fish­ somewhere. How many more of them are there???

    From sanchez.santos, on Sat 4 Jul 1:20PM

  10. This idiot should stick to racing and keep his big nose­ out of politics. He has enough problems to sort out in­ F1. This guy is such a loser. Next of kin please­ stand up!

    From Henry, on Sat 4 Jul 1:19PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    11.BMW board of directors must demand fromFamily­ Quandt­­ that they handover their shares to the­ factoryworkers­­ !!!
    Family Quandt got the money­ through warcrimes

    From Ape, on Sat 4 Jul 1:15PM

  12. I would like to see Bernie to stand up and say these­ things in an ex-servicemans club, or to a relative of­ someone who has died at the hand or through the actions­ of these people. He should be questioned regarding his­ support for these factions.

    From a.bice, on Sat 4 Jul 1:11PM

  13. We're going to find out next year who the fans like­ more:

    Bernie & Max

    or

    Ferrari, Mclaren, BMW,­ Brawn, Red Bull, Torro Rosso, Toyota and nearly all the­ current drivers.

    From Bror Jace, on Sat 4 Jul 1:10PM

  14. and im amazed he thinks maggie thatcher was a good­ leader, she was terrible bernie absolutly terrible

    From pond.simba, on Sat 4 Jul 1:10PM

  15. You can argue for and against whether Ecclestone is a­ smart man when he sticks to formula one. But when he­ steps out of his little world he shows himself up as a­ befuddled old man who has lost touch with the world.

    From damianc, on Sat 4 Jul 1:09PM

  16. its true though hitler did get things done, but what a­ thing to say from bernie i would expect better from­ him. I wouldnt be suprised if mad max said it when you­ look at his family history but what a thing to say from­ bernie.

    From pond.simba, on Sat 4 Jul 1:08PM

  17. So Mad Max has got the person to take over from him in­ Bernie the Antique Hun.

    From a.bice, on Sat 4 Jul 1:06PM

  18. Whats your next trick Bernie.

    From wizzo, on Sat 4 Jul 1:03PM

  19. another absurd statement by a formula one leader. the­ manufacturers should still break away.

    From thomas, on Sat 4 Jul 12:51PM
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