Thu, 30 Jun 22 14:17:43 +0000

Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he "takes a bullet" for Vladimir Putin and calls him a "first-class person."

(CNN)Former Formula One Chief Officer Bernie Eccleston says "take a bullet" for Vladimir Putin. Said the Russian president "first-class person."

When asked on a British television showGood morning UKWhether President Putin is still his friend, 91 An old Englishman said Thursday: "For him I will still take the bullet. I would rather hope it doesn't hurt, but I still take the bullet."

Conflicts continue about five months after Russia invaded Ukraine. Thousands of lives were lost and millions were banished, according to the United Nations, Kiiff had a series of early victories in the first aftermath, but the flow ofWe support, especially in the eastern part of Kremlin.

"What he is doing is believing he is right," Eccleston said of the war.

"Unfortunately, he seems to be a lot of businessmen. Certainly, like me, we sometimes make mistakes. When we make mistakes, we do our best to get out of it. Must be. "

After about 40 years of mission, Eccleston, who replaced F1's chief executive in 2017, also invaded Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky. I criticized the response.

"Others in Ukraine. I understand his profession. He was once a comedian, and he seems to want to continue his profession," he said. Said.

"If he was thinking about things, he would definitely have made enough effort to talk to the wise man Putin, he would have heard him, and probably I think I might have done it. "

When asked about the fact that Russia's invasion of Ukraine claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people, Ecclestone said," It wasn't intentional. "

And when asked if Zelensky could do more to stop the war, Eccleston said: "absolutely."

At the time of publication, the FIA, the governing body of motorsports, had not yet responded to CNN's request for comment.

Ecreston endorsed Putin on gay rights

British billionaires are not strangers to the controversy. In 2009, he praised Adolf Hitler for "getting things done" and later apologized, with the woman"like all other household appliances" whitesaid he should wear it.

In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020, Ecclestontold CNNthat "blacks are more racially discriminatory than whites."

Ecclestone and Putin have long been allies. Their relationship was important in establishing the Russian Grand Prix, which debuted in Sochi in 2014.

That same year, while taking command of F1, Ecclestonetold CNNthat he "fully agreed to the anti-gay law introduced by Putin, the so-called gay law. Critics claimed to have misrepresented Putin, banning the spread of publicity to minors.

And in an interview aired on February 25 this year, Russia invaded Ukraine. The next day, Eccleston described Putin as "honored."

"I thought he was very straightforward and respectable,"told Times Radio.

Eccleston of Pique's racial slurs

At the British morning show, EcclestonNelson Pique aimed at Lewis Hamilton's Reishisto SlarI also commented on using. Since then, the Brazilians have apologized.

Three-time world champion Piquet, who won two of the three world titles while driving Brabham, a team owned by Ecclestone, is a Brazilian Portuguese sler. Used to describe the 7-time champion Hamilton. Addressed a high-speed collision involving Hamilton and Max Verstappen at last year's British Grand Prix.

Pique stated that the racial slurs he used had no racially discriminatory intent, "used to despise the driver for his skin color. There is no suggestion that it was done. "

Ecclestone said, "Surprisingly, Lewis not only cleaned it up, but said it was better than that."

He added: "Probably not appropriate for us, but it wouldn't be scary to say so in Brazil.

If they happen to be a little fat or a little too small like me About the people. I'm sure they're talking about it. If you've heard it, you should have been able to deal with it yourself. "

Formula 1, Hamilton's Team Mercedes, and FIA on Tuesday. Condemned Pique for using racial slurs. ..

Hamilton, who won the most races in F1 history, said that it was "time to act" on racial discrimination, and responded to Pique's comment in a series of Twitter posts. It is written as. Mentalidard "-Portuguese for" Focus on changing your mindset ".