Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was arrested for illegally carrying a weapon at a Brazilian airport and then released on bail overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, several local media reported.
The Brazilian police explained in a press release sent to AFP on Thursday that they had drawn up a “report for flagrante delicto of illegally carrying a firearm”, without specifying the identity of the former leader of the queen category of the motoring.
The weapon in question, “a small silver 32 caliber pistol without ammunition”, was “found in hand luggage” scanned during routine checks at Viracopos airport, near Sao Paulo.
The 91-year-old Briton was arrested and taken to the police station, where he was finally released on bail after paying the sum of 6,060 reais (about 1,200 euros).
According to the G1 news site, he left Brazilian soil shortly after his release, on board a private jet bound for Switzerland, accompanied by his wife, of Brazilian nationality.
This site also says that Mr. Ecclestone allegedly claimed that he did not know that the weapon was in his hand luggage, even though he admitted to being the owner.
He would also have explained that he bought this pistol five years ago from a mechanic in an F1 team.
Bernie Ecclestone, who reigned supreme over F1 for nearly 40 years, left his position as tutelary leader in January 2017, after being fired by the new holder of the discipline’s commercial rights, the American group Liberty Media.
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