I’d be worried if I was guilty says Ecclestone

The bribery scandal hanging over the head of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone doesn’t have the 82-year-old worried.

Ecclestone has previously been questioned as part of a police investigation into a multi-million pound bribery scandal.

The case which is in direct relation to Formula One’s sale to private equity firm CVC back in 2006 has already seen Gerhard Gribkowsky jailed for more than eight years for tax evasion, breach of trust and taking £28 million in bribes during the sale of F1.

German state prosecutors are trying to establish who paid around $50million to Gerhard Gribkowsky, who at the time was overseeing the sale of BayernLB’s stake in F1.

Gribkowsky had been accused of selling a 48% stake in Formula One without legal valuations while receiving an apparent $50million bribe disguised via consultancy agreements.

Ecclestone has not been officially accused of having any connection with those payments and has always denied any involvement, however the court did describe Ecclestone in the closing remarks as ‘the accomplice’.

‘I would be (worried) if I was guilty!’ Ecclestone told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera as quoted by Sky Sports.

‘But I’m not! Are they trying to entrap me? I don’t know and I don’t care! All I know is that people try anything when money is involved!

‘It won’t get to me appearing in court.’

Ecclestone has also been part of a war of words with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo ever since the climax of the 2012 Formula One World Championship.

It all appeared to kick start over Ferrari’s complaints regarding Sebastian Vettel’s apparent over-take under yellow flags in Brazil, which was quickly cleared up when a video showed a green flag being waved by a marshal.

But since then di Montezemolo has hinted towards it being time that Ecclestone steps down as F1 boss, but the comments have not bothered Bernie.

‘Montezemolo is still a friend and I’m convinced that he didn’t really intend to say the things he said about me, about my age and my ability to continue to work. I’m happy – it’s just ‘role playing’ he told Autosport Magazine.