Fast Five: Ex-F1 boss Ecclestone pleads guilty to £400M fraud, Mansell's motorsport memorabilia auction nets over £2M, and other big updates

Ex-F1 boss Ecclestone pleads guilty to £400M fraud

Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has admitted to fraud by failing to declare over £400 million in a trust in Singapore to the British government, with the billionaire pleading guilty at Southwark Crown Court. The charge stated that Ecclestone had only established a trust for his daughters and was not the settlor or beneficiary of any other trust, and he had previously been set to face trial on the single fraud charge in November.

Click here to read the full article on rte.ie

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Mansell's motorsport memorabilia auction nets over £2M

Former Formula 1 and Indycar champion Nigel Mansell has auctioned over 300 motorsport memorabilia items from his personal collection through RM Sotheby's, totaling more than £2 million. The exact reason for this sale, previously housed in his Jersey museum, remains undisclosed. All items were offered without reserve and included various helmets from his Lotus, Williams, Ferrari, and McLaren days, with the helmet from his 1985 European GP win being the most expensive at £68,400. Notably, a personalized registration plate '5 NM' and trophies from key races also found buyers. Some bidders are likely collectors of Mansell's race cars looking for matching memorabilia.

Click here to read the full article by Matt Kew (motorsport.com)

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Alpine's engine deal with Andretti expires

Alpine had a pre-contract agreement to supply customer engines to Andretti's new Formula 1 team, but this arrangement has now lapsed. The initial deal was intended to serve as a temporary solution while Andretti worked with GM to develop its own power unit for the future. The FIA's acceptance of Andretti's entry into F1 triggered the revelation that the plan for customer Alpine/Renault engines is no longer valid. Alpine's interim team principal, Bruno Famin, explained that the pre-contract expired earlier this year, and negotiations have not resumed until FOM confirms Andretti's entry. Alpine insists that Andretti's entry should only be approved if it significantly benefits Formula 1 without diluting the value of existing assets in the championship.

Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (motorsport.com)

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Driving an F1 car upside-down

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A former British racing driver and well-known YouTube personality, Scott Mansell, dares to undertake a challenge that has been a subject of conversation for decades but never completed. It's been said that Formula 1 cars can produce double their weight in downforce at 130 mph, and the ultimate way to put this to the test is to go out and do it. After collaborating with a team of engineers on this project, Scott decides to flip the script and drive an F1 car on the ceiling of a tunnel, turning a long-standing idea into reality.

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Mercedes shares insight from Qatar GP

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Andrew Shovlin, the Trackside Engineering Director for the Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One team, answered questions regarding the Qatar GP. He started by explaining why the team chose to put Lewis Hamilton on soft tires, emphasizing the limited tire choices available to him. Shovlin also confirmed that Russell's car sustained minimal damage after the first lap incident.