Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to be father again at age 89

Colourful former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is to become a father at the age of 89 with his wife Fabiana Flosi, who is half his age, expecting a son in July, he told The Daily Mail on Friday.

Ecclestone, who revolutionised Formula One as chief executive from 1978 to 2017, has three daughters from two previous marriages.

STRUCK DOWN: Mercedes cop stunning ban for 2021 F1 season

'I KNEW THEN': Daniel Ricciardo's 'bombshell' Australian GP claim

Ecclestone’s eldest daughter Deborah is 65 and was born with his first wife Ivy Bamford, while his other two daughters, Tamara (35) and Petra (31), were born to his second wife Slavica Radic.

He will have turned 90 shortly after the birth of his fourth child.

"There's nothing that unusual is there?" he told the newspaper from the couple's home in Brazil, where they are self-isolating.

"I haven't had a job for a little while so I have had plenty of time to practise!

"I don't see there's any difference between being 89 and 29."

Ecclestone married Flosi in 2012 and said his greatest delight was for his 44-year-old marketing executive wife.

"Yes, she (his wife) is thrilled," he said. "We're not sure what all the fuss is about!

"I'm very happy and happy really for my wife, she's been looking forward to this happening for quite a few years so I'm happy she'll have someone after I'm gone."

Ecclestone mindful of coronavirus pandemic

Ecclestone, who said his daughters were delighted with the news of the family addition, hoped age had improved his parenting skills.

"We don't know, probably better than before, probably a bit more relaxed!"

The former F1 ringmaster said he was mindful of the dangers posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"You hope it's not going to happen but these things do happen so you just have to cope, what else can you do?" he told the Mail Online.

"You have to hope that the people who are looking after everything have not caught anything themselves.

"I'm not too sure we're ever going to get rid of this bloody nonsense, anymore than the flu that happens every year.

"It's just that at the moment this is a little bit more dangerous than what we've been used to but when it settles down I think the world will have changed an awful lot."

Chase Carey replaced Ecclestone as F1 boss in January 2017 after a colourful reign.

Carey at the time praised the F1 legend.

“The sport is what it is today because of him… and he will always be part of the F1 family,” Carey said in a statement.

With AFP