Bernie Ecclestone recalls the reasons behind the departure of two Formula 1 races and shares his preferences regarding the current calendar
Bernie Ecclestone, the long-time former chief executive of Formula 1, admitted that he had been deeply disappointed when the championship lost the South Korean and Indian Grands Prix after the 2013 season.
During his long tenure at the helm of the sport, Ecclestone expanded Formula 1 into new markets, particularly in Asia, with the goal of increasing revenue and global popularity. In 2010, the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam made its debut on the calendar, followed in 2011 by the Buddh International Circuit near Delhi.
Despite the organisational commitment, the Korean Grand Prix failed to capture the public’s interest, partly due to the circuit’s remote location. The event lasted only four years.
In India, after an impressive debut with 95,000 spectators, attendance figures declined rapidly. Tax disputes, bureaucratic hurdles, and the financial troubles of the promoter, the Jaypee Group, ultimately led to the race being cancelled. Ecclestone explained to F1 Destinations that in India the organisers had done an excellent job, but payments to Formula 1 had not been made correctly due to issues with the tax system. This, he said, was the reason they could not continue, despite the fact that the venue was a very high-quality circuit.
Following the sale of Formula 1 to Liberty Media in 2017, Ecclestone retained the honorary position of chairman emeritus for a short time before cutting all formal ties in 2020.
This year, at the age of 94, he was spotted attending both the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix. When asked which current race he would most like to watch, he made it clear that it would certainly not be the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. He said he would probably choose the Canadian Grand Prix, describing it as a beautiful circuit located in the fantastic city of Montreal. He also mentioned Baku as another excellent city worth visiting.
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