The 95-year-old British businessman arrived from Switzerland at an airfield near Lisbon and was held in custody for several hours for not having the required documentation to transport the weapon
At 95 years old, Bernie Ecclestone was once again involved in an incident related to a firearm. The British businessman was detained this Monday in Portugal after landing at the Tires aerodrome in Cascais with a shotgun that did not have the necessary documentation to enter the country.
The former president of the Formula 1 had traveled from Switzerland on his private jet and was subjected to a check by Portuguese authorities. During the procedure, the agents found the weapon among his belongings and confirmed that he did not have the required permit to transport it.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the former head of the Maxima explained that the shotgun was intended for recreational use and he assured that he was going to use it for clay pigeon shooting. "It's that simple", he summarized when asked about the reason for transporting it.
Ecclestone traveled without the weapon documents
The issue was related to documentation. He recounted that the agents asked him if he had the so-called "blue book", which certifies the corresponding authorization. "They asked me if I had a blue book and I told them I never travel with documents like that, practically with any documents", Ecclestone recounted.
The lack of those papers led to his detention, and the businessman remained in custody for several hours while a solution was sought. "They said they would arrest me, but after what seemed like hours, we resolved it", he explained. He also described the experience as "a nightmare" and noted that it was "a constant hassle".
Ecclestone's history with firearms
This incident is not new for the businessman. In May 2022, the Briton was detained in Brazil after authorities found a .32 caliber pistol among his belongings during a check at Viracopos airport. On that occasion, he acknowledged that the weapon was his, although he claimed he did not know it was in his luggage.
After paying bail, he was able to regain his freedom and continue his journey. At that time, the historic Formula 1 leader described the incident as "an insignificant foolishness", although he admitted the difficulties he faced in leaving São Paulo.
The importance he had in Formula 1
Beyond these episodes, Ecclestone remains one of the central figures in the modern history of Formula 1. Since the late 1970s, he played a fundamental role in the commercial expansion of the category and was key in the exploitation of its television rights.
Ecclestone was president of Formula 1 for almost 40 years
Between 1987 and 2017, he was at the helm of the commercial management of the competition, a period during which its international reach significantly expanded and it established itself as one of the main sporting spectacles in the world. That last year, he left his position following the arrival of Liberty Media as the new owner.
Since then, Ecclestone has remained removed from the management of the category, although he continues to be involved in the environment and often appears at various Grand Prix events. This time, his presence made headlines again, but for a reason very different from motorsport.
