Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone detained after shotgun found at Portugal airport

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New Delhi: 95-year-old Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was detained at Portugal airport after authorities found a shotgun without required documents on Monday.

This incident happened when Ecclestone was stopped for inspection after he arrived at Tires Aerodrome near Lisbon from Switzerland. He was also questioned for an hour and was detained until the issue was resolved.

Ecclestone said he had brought the shotgun from Switzerland for a clay-pigeon shooting competition in Portugal. He didn’t have a blue book which is necessarily kept while carrying any sort of firearm while travelling. The weapon was subsequently surrendered to authorities.

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This is not Ecclestone’s first firearm-related incident. In 2022, he was detained at an airport in Brazil after police found a .32-calibre pistol in his possession. He later paid a fine and was allowed to leave.

The British businessman was Formula 1’s most powerful commercial figure for almost 40 years, after getting its TV rights in the late 1970s. He led the sport until 2017 and still attends F1 races, splitting his time between Switzerland and Portugal.

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