Ross Brawn says he “would love” to work with long-standing Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, despite the pair having had a sometimes tumultuous relationship in the past.
Brawn has been increasingly tipped for a prominent role within F1 management, as new owners Liberty Media assess the series while completing their $4bn (£3.2bn) takeover of the sport.
A report in Auto Bild even claimed the former Ferrari technical director had been signed to eventually replace Ecclestone, who has been kept as CEO by Liberty, though Brawn swiftly moved to deny the speculation.
“I’d love to work with [Ecclestone], actually,” Brawn told ESPN. “It would be fascinating to work with him. Bernie’s never accommodated anyone in the past but even Bernie knows he’s mortal – we’re all mortal. I think he said himself, death and taxes are the only two certainties in life.
“No-one could replace him directly, but could a group of people under his supervision, guidance, start to manage Formula One? Who knows. I don’t think there’s an individual who could do what Bernie did.”
Talking about his own relationship with the 86-year-old, Brawn added: “I haven’t spoken to Bernie since I left the sport [at the end of 2013]…
“We had an understanding, if you like. I probably rankled him on occasion because I stuck to my views and not everyone did. So I think there were times I irritated him. But I always respected what Bernie’s achieved.”
Ecclestone said Brawn would be better off accepting a role within the FIA than working with Liberty.
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