Emotional reason why Bernie Ecclestone, 94, sold £500million car collection in sale that dwarfs previous world record

BERNIE ECCLESTONE has revealed the emotional reason behind selling his stunning car collection worth £500million.

The F1 supremo has sold his 69-car garage that “embodies 70 years of history”.

Tom Hartley Jnr/PA Wire

Bernie Ecclestone has sold his car collection valued at £500m[/caption]

Tom Hartley Jnr/PA Wire

The garage features iconic Ferraris driven by Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda[/caption]

Ecclestone’s collection ’embodies 70 years of F1 history’

Tom Hartley Jnr/PA Wire

It is the biggest sale in car collection history[/caption]

Red Bull owner Mark Mateschitz has purchased the collection for an undisclosed figure.

Ferraris driven by legends Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda were on offer, as well as the iconic Brabham BT46B that was banned for being too fast.

Ecclestone, 94, said the reason behind the sale was to take stress away from his wife Fabiana, 47, and son Ace, 4, when he dies.

He told The Telegraph: “With a bit of luck I might get two or three more years and I don’t want to leave all this for Fabiana to sort.

“All these car dealers would be driving her mad. So the best thing to do is to get all the cars together and try to make sure they go to proper homes.

“Ace might not be interested in handling all this either. He might be more into football. Sooner or later, this had to happen.

“I’m still more or less in control, so I can do what I like. Maybe in another year I won’t be able to.”

Opening up on the sale to Mateschitz, high-end car dealer Tom Hartley Jnr said: “There has never been a transaction in the collectors’ car world that even comes close to this.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

“By several multiples it is the biggest sale price ever achieved.

“When we put the cars up for sale before Christmas I don’t think we could have anticipated how much interest there would be. It’s been utterly incredible.

“We received offers from all over the world, including from two separate sovereign wealth funds.

“But I do feel the collection has gone to the best home, and to the buyer which Bernie most favoured.

“The buyer moved extremely quickly. We spoke with him before Christmas, he flew over, we showed him the cars and he was very, very excited.

“He was definitely a favoured buyer of Bernie’s.”

Reuters

Bernie Ecclestone has sold the cars to not leave his wife Fabiana with the stress when he passes away[/caption]

Getty

Billionaire and Red Bull heir Mark Mateschitz son has bought the 69 cars[/caption]