Bernie Ecclestone: The legacy of an enigma

Bernie Ecclestone has revelled in transforming Formula One from a little-known Sunday afternoon gathering into a global juggernaut, but is this his legacy or is it the sport's recent woes?

Many of contemporary Formula One's issues are attributed to Bernie Ecclestone. Whether it's teams desperately clinging on to their futures or a tedious procession around a previously unknown expanse of land, it can be quite tempting to overlook the good he has done in favour of verbally knocking him.

Not that he cares. If there is one thing Bernie can do, it's roll with the punches. He has survived much in his time atop the pyramid of Formula One and has done so whilst growing its global appeal in epic proportions.

Bernie the catalyst 

As a racing driver, Ecclestone was nothing special. However, for as middle-of-the-road he was on track, he is anything but in the boardroom. His career started began to blossom as he acquired the Brabham team in 1972 and his incredible business acumen began to come to the fore.

Almost from the off he ensured that repositioned himself at the centre of the decision-making processes. His foresight in selling television rights to the sport as a package rather than race-by-race maximised the earning potential and helped to swell the coffers. He almost single-handedly organised the teams into a cohesive unit in order to transform what was once a small, disorganised Sunday afternoon jolly into the global sports powerhouse it is today. 

As the years rolled on his influence grew as he manoeuvred himself into position expertly. The sport's popularity and his thirst for power apparently grew in tandem. His incredible affinity for a deal led him to him acquiring the commercial rights for a bargain price in an astonishing feat.

His reign was not be devoid of drama, however. Ecclestone has navigated the treacherous waters of the European Commission and German Courts and it is nothing short of astonishing that he has remained at the top for as long as he did. He even managed to retain his position during the 2006 takeover by CVC and has continued unchallenged until the arrival of Liberty Media.

In short, Bernard Charles Ecclestone rsecued Formula One from its spot on the periphery of the sporting landscape and transformed it into a formidable money-making spectacle adored by millions the world over. He is the reason why many around the globe hold their heroes past and present in such high esteem and for this you can't help but respect what he has done.

Bernie the hindrance

There will be countless arguments and counter-arguments as the world of Formula One begins the next chapter in its rich history. Journalists worldwide are already scrambling to express their opinions on the man.

What happens when you create something as popular as Formula One? The world trains its microscope on you. Every decision, every interview and every controversy was picked apart. The sport has been remodelled a number of times under Bernie's stewardship and inevitably even he could not keep everyone happy. 

In a way he has been the architect of his own downfall. Taking the sport to its current heights has led to criticism as the sport stagnated in recent times. Its immense growth over the last forty years created a fanbase that wants to be entertained and sadly modern F1 is not characterised as entertaining.

Under Bernie the sport has been paralysed by political and financial agendas and this is something Ecclestone has been unable to overcome. Financial reward has taken precedent over the racing and this has resulted in F1 distancing itself from fans. Ecclestone's decisions to take the sport to geographical areas lacking in motorsport history have seen him come across as greedy as more traditional venues were shunned in favour of shiny new ones.

For some time, the sporting aspect of Formula One has been ignored and the blame has often been laid at the feet of Ecclestone. The teams are also to blame of course, but if you are the one charged with being its guardian, should you not fight tooth and nail until it serves the needs of its fans?

He has also orchestrated the hugely uneven distribution of wealth within the mad world of F1. The disparities are so large that they have led to the disappearance of a number of teams. Although Bernie himself apportions blame to those in charge of the outfits for not undertaking due diligence, it is clear that during his time the Goliaths have strengthened as the Davids have taken a pounding.

The legacy

So what of the legacy? On one side of the coin we have the genius who took a disorganised car racing series and grew it into a multi billion-dollar business under his apparently limitless control. On the flip side we have a man who was seemingly so obsessed by his wealth that the sport has become a shadow of its former self.

More often than not, memories tend to be short and mostly these days Ecclestone's previous good work tends to be overshadowed by his lack of movement recently. Liberty Media has stepped in to take the reins and with their commercial nous already seem to be well on their way to executing the grand playoff a more accessible F1.

Ross Brawn has been brought in to spice up the show and so it seems we are taking positive steps to an exciting future. This week has served as proof that no matter who you are there is always something or somebody waiting to step in when the time is right. 

For the first time in an age we have a post-Bernie F1. It is strange and we should remember the good as well as the bad of his tenure. For all his drawbacks, Bernie Ecclestone is responsible for modern-day F1. It needs revamping and reshaping but he has done one hell of a job.

By Alex Griffin