Who will succeed Bernie Ecclestone?

Oct 27, 2010, 10:57 GMT

Berlin - Given his 80th birthday on Thursday, the issue of who will succeed Bernie Ecclestone as Formula One commercial rights boss is becoming more and more pressing.

Ecclestone himself has no plans to retire, though, and once shrugged off the question with a brief 'another car dealer.'

Ecclestone was a car dealer before he turned Formula One into a billion-dollar event over the past decades.

No one knows whether Ecclestone has already started organizing the future himself, with team union head Martin Whitmarsh saying it was 'impossible to predict.'

Jean Todt, the head of the ruling motorsport body FIA, said that the issue must be dealt with by the CVC company - which holds the rights and has Ecclestone as managing director - rather than Ecclestone himself.

'The responsibility for the future of Formula One is more with CVC than with Bernie,' said Todt. 'It is up to them,' he said, naming the CVC bosses 'wise businessmen.'

Todt said he is not afraid of the future which has become a truly global event under Ecclestone.

'I am convinced that Formula One has a very strong future. We should not forget that Formula One is among the most important sports on the planet,' said Todt.

'A football World Cup takes place every four years, Olympic Games take place every four years, the Formula One world championship takes place every year.'

But Todt also said that nothing can be taken for granted despite Formula One's prestige, which could make life difficult for the man after Ecclestone.

'Bernie knows that, CVC knows that, and we know that,' Todt said.

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