Bernie Ecclestone's defence got a boost on Tuesday, as the corruption trial continued in Munich. If found guilty of having bribed the jailed former F1 banker Gerhard Gribkowsky, the sport's chief executive will certainly lose his job, and probably also be jailed.
But his defence - that Gribkowsky blackmailed him - got a boost on Tuesday. Central to the prosecution's case is the suggestion that Ecclestone paid Gribkowsky $44 million so that his preferred buyer for F1's commercial rights, CVC, got the green light.
It is alleged that Ecclestone wanted CVC to buy BayernLB's shares, because the Munich state bank holding onto them could endanger his role as F1 supremo. But a former legal advisor to BayernLB on Tuesday testified in Munich, and the witness denied that the bank ever posed a threat to Ecclestone's job.
"I don't think it ever arose that Ecclestone could be deposed," German media reports quote the unnamed witness as saying. "I don't even think it would have been possible," the witness reportedly added. (GMM)
Witness gives Ecclestone's defence a boost in court
- Published on 02 Jul 2014 10:33
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
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