Former Formula 1 boss Berne Ecclestone has denied media reports that he had been briefly arrested at Sao Paulo airport for illegal possession of weapons.
“No, I wasn’t arrested, I was questioned. I had a small, tiny handgun, the kind a woman carries in her purse in case someone mugs her,” Ecclestone told Reuters news agency.
The 91-year-old Briton jokingly added: “I haven’t had any publicity lately and I thought I had to do something to get some.” The whole affair was “a stupid, tiny incident,” Ecclestone said.
Formula 1 mechanic Bernie Ecclestone sold the gun
A Formula 1 mechanic sold him the weapon years ago as a deterrent, the billionaire said. “They said at the time I had to have one. I had them in my house and joked with them when people came to visit.”
Ecclestone added: “I never wanted to shoot it and I didn’t have any ammunition, so I never thought about registering the gun. I didn’t know you had to do that.”
By mistake, the pistol ended up in his luggage. He forgot them in a shirt that was packed in his suitcase. The weapon was then noticed during the security scan.
Bernie Ecclestone describes ‘more drama’
From 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. he had to stay at the airport in Sao Paulo to give his statement and do paperwork.
Then he was allowed to leave, but not without paying a fine of 6,060 Brazilian reals (about 1,200 euros).
“They wanted to get the money in the local currency. That was another drama. We were leaving the country and didn’t have any local money with us,” said Ecclestone, whose wife Fabiana is from Brazil.