Bernie Ecclestone would ‘absolutely’ reject Queen’s knighthood: ‘Whole system is wrong’

The 90-year-old is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One and controls the commercial rights to the sport. He enjoyed a career in motorsport that spanned seven decades and still attends a handful of Grand Prix weekends each year. Mr Ecclestone claims he received a knighthood offer from Queen Elizabeth II back in the Nineties, but turned it down.

He detailed his issue with the “whole system” during an interview on ‘In Depth with Graham Bensinger’.

He said: “I think years and years and years ago people would go and capture a country or do something for England.

“They would come back and give the keys to the King or the Queen and say ‘this is what I’ve done.’

“They would be knighted for doing something super for England.

“I didn’t think I deserved anything at all, like probably 90 percent of people who are given these honours.”

Mr Ecclestone went on to state “anything I did, I did for myself, not for England”.

He elaborated in 2017: “If England benefited from it, then good, I didn’t go out particularly to do that.

“I think the whole system is wrong.

“I think if somebody actually dedicates themselves to do something for the country and is proud to do it, they should be recognised for that.”

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“Nobody knows where it goes.

“If I’d still been around there wouldn’t have been anyone wearing [anti-racism] t-shirts on the podium, that’s for sure.

“100 percent, there wouldn’t have been this business of kneeling before races.”

The seven-time world champion previously labelled Mr Ecclestone “ignorant and uneducated” for past comments on racism and diversity in F1.

Mr Hamilton has led the sport’s push to deliver messages on social issues, with drivers on the grid kneeling before races last season in support of the fight against racism.

Mr Ecclestone’s daughter also made headlines this week after slamming Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for “doing interviews”.

Petra Ecclestone claimed she had “always tried to stand up” for the former actress,” but did not reveal exactly what for.

It came after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rocked the Royal Family following their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Ms Ecclestone, 32, said: “Harry and Meghan did have the freedom to leave if they really didn’t want that life.

“But, on the other hand, they said they wanted privacy and they didn’t want to be famous and they didn’t want to do interviews — but all they’ve done since is basically do interviews.”