Former F1 CEO calls Vladimir Putin 'straightforward and honorable', feels Russian Grand Prix should go ahead

Former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has lent his support to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of the latter's unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

In an unsurprising turn of events, the 91-year-old Ecclestone chose the adjectives "straightforward" and "honorable" to describe the first world leader to invade a sovereign nation since World War II.

In a radio interview with Times Sport in the United Kingdom, Ecclestone appalled listeners when asked to share his thoughts on the recently canceled Russian Grand Prix in the upcoming 2022 F1 season. He said:

“I think it depends an awful lot on exactly what the state is between Ukraine and Russia. It’s not going to make any difference if there is a race in Russia to anything else that has happened in the world. I suppose it is the people who are engaged in the event who would decide on it, because maybe other people think it was the right thing for Russia to do. So how can anyone else judge exactly what is happening today? As a person I found him very straightforward and honourable. He did exactly what he said he was going to do without any arguments.”

Russia was also expected to host the UEFA Champions League final later this year, which was subsequently taken away from Saint Petersburg.

When asked if the Russian Grand Prix being held in Sochi, in light of the current circumstances, tarnished F1's reputation and legacy, Ecclestone said:

“I think it is entirely up to the Formula 1 group and the FIA to decide whether they think it is correct or not. (There is) nothing in the world I can do about it. Do I think it will be damaging to the sport? I don’t see why one sport should really follow another one.”

Incidentally, this is not the first time Ecclestone has been complimentary or approving of the sitting Russian President.

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Vladimir Putin "should be running Europe", according to former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone

F1 fans stunned by Bernie Ecclestone's support of Vladimir Putin should pick up their jaws off the floor as the Briton has always been in the Russian President's corner.

In an old interview, Ecclestone famously said he would take a bullet for Putin. He felt the Russian 'should be running Europe' after confessing he was not a fan of democracy.

In the aforementioned interview with The Times in the UK, Ecclestone said:

“If someone had a machine gun and was prepared to shoot Putin, I would stand in front of him. Why? Because he’s a good guy. He’s never done anything that isn’t doing good things for people.”

Ecclestone went on to add, saying:

“I would like him running Europe. We haven’t got anybody, so it couldn’t be any worse. He does what he says he is going to do. I am not a supporter of democracy. You need a dictator. As a dictator, you say, ‘This is what I am going to do.’ In a democracy, it gets watered down.”

Meanwhile, the Russian Grand Prix that was scheduled to be held towards the end of September this year stands canceled at the time of writing this piece. It now remains to be seen what F1 has to say about the comments made by their former CEO.