If nuclear war ever arrives or if Yellowstone finally blows its top, then neither of those of apocalyptic events are likely to dislodge Bernie Ecclestone as head of Formula One.
Ecclestone is the unabashed purveyor of a raft of 'unfashionable' opinions. He is strong critic of democracy, which he suggests has done little for United Kingdom or other western countries.
In an unsurprisingly fawning interview with RT, he was asked if he stood over his comments that there was 'too much democracy' in Formula One. Bernie responded that 'there was no place for democracy full stop. Anywhere.'
Elsewhere in that interview, he declared himself a firm supporter and admirer of Vladimir Putin (his admiration for Putin and his contempt for democracy may not be unconnected). He described Putin as 'super' and said he was 'his best supporter'. The interviewer, for her part, appeared pleased with this answer.
In 2009, he said that Hitler 'got things done', comments for which he later apologised.
He has never been at the cutting edge of gender politics. In 2005, he had a singular brainwave, remarking that 'women should be dressed in white like all the other household appliances.' There followed a brief medley of apology followed by re-assertion followed by another apology.
In an interview with Toronto 150, TSN's motorsport podcast, he was asked whether we would see a female driver in Formula One any time soon.
In 2014, Scottish driver Susie Wolff participated in a practise session for Williams at the Germany Grand Prix. She has since retired.
Ecclestone thinks that a woman was capable of reaching Formula One, she wouldn't be taken seriously.
I doubt it because if there was someone who's capable they wouldn't be taken seriously anyway. So they would never have a car that was capable of competing.
Incidentally, this female driver business, there was a girl that was driving in GP3 for a whole season, so it's not something that hasn't happened.
While, noting that women have competed at other levels of motorsport, he said it was highly unlikely to happen in Formula One.
