Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone arrested for carrying shotgun at airport

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was arrested after being found to be carrying a shotgun at an airport in Portugal. 

The 95-year-old Briton, who ran F1 for nearly 40 years until he was removed from his position after Liberty Media completed its takeover of the sport in 2017, was reportedly arrested on Monday at Tires Aerodrome near Lisbon. 

Ecclestone was stopped by police during a check of his private jet following a flight from Switzerland. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ecclestone said he was subjected to “wall-to-wall aggravation” after being held up for hours. 

“I had a gun that I was bringing over from Switzerland to Portugal for clay-pigeon shooting. It's as simple as that. I have guns at home there that are licensed,” Ecclestone said. 

“We cleared customs on arriving here – I know the guys there – and they were fine with everything. No problems. Then a policeman afterwards asked to search the bag. It could have been [his six-year-old son] Ace’s fishing tackle for all it looked like, but it wasn’t.

"They asked if I had a "blue book", which is apparently the documentation you need, and I told them I never travel with documents like that, any documents at all practically. They said they would arrest me, but after what seemed like hours, we sorted it out, but it has been wall-to-wall aggravation.

“But it seems it can be put right. Fabi [Ecclestone’s wife] has gone to Lisbon to surrender the gun, or pay the tax or whatever you need to bring it in, or to hand it over in the end. I said I would go too but I didn't as it happened, and I am sitting at home waiting for it to be the situation to be put to bed.”

It is the second time in four years that Ecclestone has been arrested for carrying a gun. In 2022, Ecclestone was arrested and bailed when he attempted to board a flight in Brazil. 

The following year, Ecclestone was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to fraud. 

Ecclestone failed to declare more than £400m held in a trust in Singapore when asked by tax authorities in 2015. 

After agreeing to a civil settlement, Ecclestone was sentenced to 17 months in prison, suspended for two years.