Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that he previously dealt with Donald Trump over a failed bid to bring Formula 1 to the US.
The F1 previously had no presence in America for a brief period having left Indianapolis in 2007 but Ecclestone tried to take F1 back to America in 2011.
Ecclestone sought to organise a Grand Prix of the Americas in the street circuit in New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline serving as the backdrop.
The race was announced in 2011, and added to the calendar in 2013, before being abandoned completely in 2015.
Ex-F1 supremo reveals Trump difficulty
Ecclestone has revealed that he had to deal with Donald Trump as the former F1 CEO tried to push through plans for the race.
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Trump, though, proved a hurdle for Ecclestone, with the US President, then a property developer-turned-host-of-The Apprentice, tough to deal with.
The 79-year-old insisted on having his name prominent trackside and among other advertising as he sought to increase his personal reach.
“I eventually said to him: 'Do you know what? The only thing you haven't asked is to have your name on is the toilet paper,” Ecclestone said of the doomed venture.
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That said, Ecclestone did reserve some praise for Trump, observing his ability to make and cut deals, adding; “I would love to have had him as a partner in my used-car business.”
Ecclestone left his role as F1 CEO in 2017 when Liberty Media assumed control of Formula 1.
Trump is no stranger to F1, nor sporting events, having sent a message of congratulations to Lando Norris after he won his first ever Grand Prix in Las Vegas last year.
Trump set for US Open return
The US President was also in attendance as Chelsea won the Club World Cup earlier this year, and will be at the US Open men’s singles final today, marking his first appearance at the tennis championship in a decade.
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Broadcasters, though, have been asked by the United States Tennis Association “to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity”.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will face off at the Arthur Ashe Stadium this evening with the Italian looking to successfully defend his US Open crown.
Sinner and Alcaraz will meet for the fifth time this year, with the latter emerging victorious at the Cincinnati Open final earlier this summer after the former was forced to retire owing to illness.
Sinner is hoping the follow in Aryna Sabalenka’s footsteps, the Belarusian successfully defending her US Open crown after defeating American Amanda Anisimova on Saturday.
Topics: Formula 1, Donald Trump, Motorsport, Tennis, US Open
Ben McAleer