Bernie Ecclestone’s estimated wealth has fallen by £460 million since last year according to the Sunday Times Rich list, published today.
The Formula One boss, who is now believed to be worth £2.48 billion, has fallen nine places to 42nd in the annual index of the richest people in Britain. It’s the largest drop in his wealth since his 2009 divorce settlement after splitting from his second wife, Slavica, whose wealth is valued at £740m.
Concerns over the state of Formula One – the sport has lost one-third of its worldwide television viewership since 2008 – have contributed to the re-evaluation of Ecclestone’s wealth.
His children Tamara and Petra have also spent a chunk of the family fortune accumulated by Ecclestone’s past and current earnings from the sport. Their multi-million pound weddings have made them a fixture in the tabloid press.
The next-highest motor racing figures on the list are retired former Paddock Club chief Paddy McNally, valued at £570m, and McLaren boss Ron Dennis who is valued at £300m.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife, ex-Williams test driver Susie Wolff, are jointly valued at £240m. The team’s top driver, reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, features in the top 1,000 for the first time. His fast-rising wealth is now valued at £109m, thanks to a £21.4m salary before title-winning bonuses.
Other motor racing figures on the list include ex-driver Johnny Dumfries, the Marquess of Bute, valued £122m. Circuit owners Kevin Wheatcroft and Martin Birrane are listed at £120m and £109m respectively. Ex-team boss Eddie Jordan, who does not appear in the top 1,000, is valued at £85m.
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WilliamB (@william-brierty)
24th April 2016, 11:30
I bet all of the people made redundant following the Caterham Team’s liquidation feel really bad for him. And I bet representatives of the Monza circuit are really cut up by this news.
I guess Petra just really “needed” some more shoes…
Gabriel (@rethla)
24th April 2016, 13:41
Pretty sure the Caterhamdudes/dudettes are qualifyed enough to get new jobs easily enough, theres noone there lacking for bread on their table.
Robbie (@robbie)
24th April 2016, 12:29
Lol the picture fits the topic like a caption competition…”ooh that smarts”
OmarRoncal - Go Seb!!! (@)
24th April 2016, 13:34
So it sounds like he will now live under a bridge… in Dubai.
WillOfTheSupremo
24th April 2016, 22:21
Hehe.. came back at this comment after 5 hours.. still puts an evil smile on my face…
Not sure why, though…
lockup (@)
24th April 2016, 13:37
I didn’t realise Ron has done quite so well. I suppose I find his absurd, unspendable wealth the most palatable of those mentioned.
Biggsy
24th April 2016, 15:05
It shows what a crooked system it is, when the guy who is basically just a manager, and some irrelevant “vip club” shyster, are so much richer than any of the team bosses. People like Frank Williams don’t even feature on the list it seems. Ron Dennis, who has always been the sharpest about growing his F1 team into a global business, is barely worth a half of some glorified club manager.
markp
24th April 2016, 19:59
You don’t get money for nothing so the other guy is just simply better at business than Ron. I don’t know where they get these values from though how can they know when the tax authorities in a number of countries have no idea what these people earn and should pay.
Johannes (@johanness)
24th April 2016, 20:34
Frank stole Senna’s black box. The gods don’t smile on that type of treachery
Andy (@andybantam)
24th April 2016, 15:10
My heart bleeds…
Wallbreaker (@wallbreaker)
24th April 2016, 16:13
Hell get over it with the rest of his nearly two and half billion pounds…
Wallbreaker (@wallbreaker)
24th April 2016, 16:14
He’ll. Bloody autocorrect…
hoshino (@hoshino)
24th April 2016, 17:22
So, it was a pretty expensive dinner.
Girts (@girts)
24th April 2016, 17:36
So what will I do next?
A) Feel sorry for Ecclestone and buy two Monza Fans Club hospitality packages for €2000 to make him feel better
B) Will donate some € to some other people, who deserve it more, need it more and will use it more wisely
bull mello (@bullmello)
24th April 2016, 18:33
I wish ill to no one. In this case I do find myself infinitely unsympathetic.
Neil (@neilosjames)
24th April 2016, 18:45
Aren’t his daughters old enough to pay for their own birthday parties?
Jules Winfield (@jules-winfield)
24th April 2016, 19:28
Wouldn’t that require them to have jobs to pay for such things? Why bother – daddy can pay for everything whilst you can go to the beach and look at pictures of yourself on your Facebook feed.
markp
24th April 2016, 20:38
Bad news for Monza the hosting fee is now 500 million a year.
Strontium (@strontium)
25th April 2016, 0:33
I’m sure he’ll get over it.
He just needs to get a few tracks to pay him for double points again.
bigwilk (@bigwilk)
25th April 2016, 0:49
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy
Todfod (@todfod)
25th April 2016, 12:17
LMAO +1
Arahones
25th April 2016, 10:40
Oh noes, now he can only buy 9 747-800’s and still have petty cash for a 200 million dollar yacht. Scrooge McDuck problems.. Poor Bernie, he wanted 10 747’s.
Todfod (@todfod)
25th April 2016, 11:22
Awwww Bernie :(
I guess it’s time to take some bribes, increase airing license costs, increasing race hosting fees and screwing the smaller teams out of their share of money. Don’t worry, you’ll make it up soon!
The Blade Runner (@)
25th April 2016, 15:07
He really is the Montgomery Burns of Formula 1.
“Release the hounds, Smithers…”
Hairpin (@hairpin)
25th April 2016, 21:22
Don’t be daft he’s just hidden it somewhere else !
Apex Assassin
26th April 2016, 2:10
So is anyone surprised he’s trying to devalue F1 to increase his stake before the new owners take over and the value increases?
Loen (@loen)
26th April 2016, 8:17
If a big black sink-hole opened up underneath BCE’s house this morning
and suddenly he was not there any more, I’m trying very hard to convince
myself that there’d be at least six sympatheic posts on this site.
Well. OK maybe three posts….?
No ?
ResultantAsteroid
26th April 2016, 11:56
Oh boy … this means we’re scheduled for far more ridiculous and knee-jerk changes to the sport’s regulations, ticket prices, TV coverage prices, … etc.
This is Bernie we are talking about here. He will not admit that his lower F1 income is because of HIS management. He is awesome and God’s precious gift to us. He will blame us useless/brainless F1 fans for this, so he will punish us by reaching deeper into our pockets.