# Bernie Ecclestone

_British business magnate (born 1930)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bernie-ecclestone
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is a British business magnate, motorsport executive and former racing driver. Widely known in journalism as the "F1 Supremo", Ecclestone founded the Formula One Group in 1987, controlling the commercial rights to Formula One until 2017.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 28 October 1930 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Bungay ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United Kingdom ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P27))
- **Occupation:** Formula One driver; businessperson; entrepreneur ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P106))
- **Spouse:** Slavica Ecclestone ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P26))
- **Awards:** Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria; Order of Friendship ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724#P166))

## About

Born in Suffolk and raised in Bexleyheath, Ecclestone began his business career trading motorcycle parts after World War II. He started racing in Formula Three in 1949, winning multiple races at Brands Hatch driving a Cooper Mk V. After purchasing two Connaught chassis in 1958, Ecclestone entered the Monaco and British Grands Prix in Formula One as a privateer, but did not qualify at either. He then became a driver manager for Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt, the latter winning the World Drivers' Championship posthumously in 1970. Ecclestone purchased Brabham in 1972—which he operated for 15 years—leading the team to 22 victories, as well as two World Drivers' Championship titles with Nelson Piquet. He co-founded the Formula One Constructors' Association two years later, leading them through the FISA–FOCA war.

Ecclestone's control of the sport, which grew from his pioneering sale of television rights in the late-1970s, was primarily financial; under the terms of the Concorde Agreement in 1987, Ecclestone and his companies also controlled the administration, setup and logistics of each Formula One Grand Prix. He also founded International Sportsworld Communicators in 1996, controlling the commercial rights to the World Rally Championship until 2000. He placed fifth on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2002, and declined both a CBE and a knighthood from Elizabeth II. He co-owned association football club Queens Park Rangers with Flavio Briatore from 2007 to 2011, overseeing their promotion to the Premier League. He sold the Formula One Group to Liberty Media in 2017, subsequently being…

## Questions

**When was Bernie Ecclestone born?**  
Bernie Ecclestone was born on 28 October 1930 in Bungay.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bernie Ecclestone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Ecclestone) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q172724](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172724) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bernie Ecclestone, São Paulo 2022 (52498924277) (cropped).jpg by Governo do Estado de São Paulo (CC BY 2.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bernie_Ecclestone,_S%C3%A3o_Paulo_2022_(52498924277)_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bernie Ecclestone, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bernie Ecclestone, São Paulo 2022 (52498924277) (cropped).jpg — Governo do Estado de São Paulo, CC BY 2.0.

## Cite this page

"Bernie Ecclestone". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bernie-ecclestone. Retrieved 4 November 2026.