From F1 Power Broker to Peaceful Patriarch: Bernie Ecclestone’s Remarkable Reinvention at 95
At 95 years old, former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has entered a reflective chapter of his extraordinary life. Celebrating his birthday quietly on October 28 in the serene Swiss resort town of Gstaad, Ecclestone spent the day with his wife, Fabiana, 49, and their young son, Ace, who has just turned five. Despite being one of Britain’s most famous billionaires, Ecclestone now leads a much simpler and more disciplined lifestyle, one that revolves around family rather than the high-octane world of F1 he once ruled.
The Ecclestones’ approach to parenting is rooted in structure and communication. Ace is not allowed screen time during weekdays, must complete his homework before enjoying any form of entertainment, and the family always shares dinner together without distractions. “Ace is a wonderful boy,” Ecclestone said in an interview with Bild. “He’s bright, curious, and interested in everything.” Fabiana added that their parenting works because they complement each other—Bernie’s patience balances her firmer stance.
This tranquil domestic life marks a striking contrast to Ecclestone’s past as the hard-nosed architect of Formula 1’s global empire. During his decades at the helm, he was both feared and admired for his shrewdness and relentless control. Yet, as he put it, “Money was never the motivation. It was always about ideas and control.” Earlier this year, Ecclestone sold his remarkable collection of 69 Formula 1 cars, valued at roughly US$663 million, to Mark Mateschitz, son of the late Red Bull founder, to ensure the vehicles’ legacy would be preserved.
His recent years have been marked by simplification—he’s sold off luxury yachts and pared back his lifestyle following a 2023 case in which he admitted misleading authorities about overseas assets and paid nearly $1 billion in back taxes, receiving a suspended sentence.
Despite this, Ecclestone remains immensely wealthy—worth around $4 billion—but lives quietly in his alpine chalet. His family life is uniquely shaped by time: his eldest daughter, Deborah, is 70, while Ace has only just begun first grade. “It’s quite something,” he reflected. “You look at your oldest and youngest and realize how much has happened in between.”
Ace attends an international school, already fluent in multiple languages—English, Portuguese, Swiss German, and German—and his mother hopes he grows up valuing normality over privilege. For Ecclestone, once one of the most powerful men in sport, the pursuit of control has given way to the pursuit of peace.
