BERNIE Ecclestone has been removed from his position running Formula 1, as U.S. giant Liberty Media completes its $8B (£6.4B) takeover of the sport.Ecclestone, 86, who has been in charge for nearly 40 years, has been appointed chairman emeritus and will act as an adviser to the board.
Chase Carey has had Ecclestone’s former role of chief executive officer added to his existing position of chairman.
Ecclestone said earlier yesterday that he had been “forced out”.
He told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “I was dismissed today. This is official. I no longer run the company. My position has been taken by Chase Carey.”
Ecclestone, who added that he did not know what his new job title meant, declined to comment when approached by BBC Sport, who revealed on Sunday he would leave his job this week.
Liberty began its takeover of the sport in September and earlier in January cleared the last two regulatory hurdles.
The deal was completed yesterday and Liberty Media is to be renamed the Formula 1 Group following the takeover.
Former ESPN executive Sean Bratches has been hired to run the commercial side of F1, while ex-Mercedes team boss and Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn has been appointed to lead the sporting and technical side.
Both will report to Carey, a former long-time lieutenant of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and chairman of his 21st Century Fox company. (BBC Sport)