Bernie Ecclestone, the 95-year-old former head of Formula One, was held by authorities at Tires Airport near Lisbon on September 7, 2026. Portuguese police detained the businessman after discovering a shotgun in his possession for which he lacked the required legal permit .
A missing 'blue book' at Tires Airport
The detention occurred when officers from the airport division of the Portuguese Public Security Police conducted a stop of Bernie Ecclestone upon his arrival. According to the report, the former Formula One chief was found to be carrying a shotgun without the necessary documenation, specifically a document referred to as the "blue book."
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Bernie Ecclestone admitted that he had transported the firearm from Switzerland. He stated that the weapon was intended for pigeon shooting and claimed that he simply does not travel with documentation of that nature, describing the resulting police interaction as "wall-to-wall aggravation."
The 2022 Brazil incident and a habit of airport firearms
This encounter in Portugal is not an isolated event for the British business magnate. As reported, Bernie Ecclestone faced a strikingly similar situation in May 2022 at Viracopos Airport in Brazil. During that incident, police discovered a .32-caliber pistol in his possession, which resulted in Bernie Ecclestone paying a fine before being allowed to depart.
The repetition of these events suggests a recurring friction between Bernie Ecclestone's personal travel habits and international aviation security laws . For a man who spent decades navigating the highest levels of global commerce and sport,the persistent failure to secure firearm permits for international transit marks a peculiar blind spot in his operational discipline.
From the 1970s marketing grip to 95-year-old detainee
To understand the gravity of these incidents,one must consider the stature Bernie Ecclestone once held. He became the central figure of Formula One by establishing a dominant marketing grip on the sport in the late 1970s. From 1987 until 2017, Bernie Ecclestone controlled the series through his mastery of television rights, effectively acting as the sport's ultimate arbiter for three decades.
Even in retirement , Bernie Ecclestone remains a visible presence in the racing world, as seen in an Associated Press photo from December 7, 2025, which showed him on the starting grid at the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. However, there is a stark contrast between the man who once dictated terms to global automotive giants and the 95-year-old currently subject to the bureaucratic requirements of the Portuguese Public Security Police.
Who verified the legal status of the Swiss shotgun?
Despite the details of the arrest, several critical points regarding the resolution of the September 7 incident remain unverified. While Bernie Ecclestone told the Daily Mail that he and the police "sorted it out" after several hours, the report does not specify the exact mechanism of his release. It remains unknown if Bernie Ecclestone paid a financial penalty similar to the one in Brazil or if the shotgun was confiscated by the Portuguese state.
Furthermore, the available information relies heavily on the account provided by Bernie Ecclestone himself. There has been no official statement from the Portuguese Public Security Police to clarify whether the weapon was eventually deemed legal or if the release was a result of the subject's age and status rather than a correction of the paperwork deficiency.
Comments 0