Bernie Ecclestone Detained In Portugal After Shotgun Found On Private Jet

Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula 1 chief who spent decades shaping the sport’s commercial empire, has found himself at the centre of another firearm-related controversy after reportedly being detained in Portugal.

The 95-year-old British businessman was stopped after his private jet landed at Tires Aerodrome in Cascais, near Lisbon, on Monday. Authorities reportedly discovered a shotgun during a routine inspection of the aircraft, triggering an investigation over whether Bernie Ecclestone had the necessary documentation to carry the weapon in Portugal.

The incident was initially reported by Portuguese media, with early reports attributing the intervention to the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP). However, Portuguese broadcaster Renascenca later reported that the Tax and Customs Authority was responsible for the inspection, citing a PSP source.

Bernie Ecclestone Explains Why He Had The Shotgun

Ecclestone has offered his own version of events, telling the Daily Mail that he had brought the shotgun from Switzerland to Portugal for clay-pigeon shooting.

According to Motorsport.com, Ecclestone acknowledged that he did not have the required documentation, reportedly referred to as a “blue book”. He said the issue was eventually resolved after he was held for several hours, while his wife, Fabiana Flosi, went to Lisbon to deal with the authorities and the firearm.

Ecclestone also disputed the description that he had been formally arrested, saying the situation had eventually been sorted out. Portuguese authorities had not publicly clarified whether he would face charges or be required to appear before a judge at the time of reporting.

Second Gun-Related Airport Incident In Four Years

The Portugal episode has an unusual precedent. In 2022, Ecclestone was detained in Brazil after an unloaded LW Seecamp .32 pistol was discovered in his luggage while he was preparing to board a flight to Switzerland.

He was released after posting bail and later described that episode as a minor misunderstanding, explaining that he had purchased the firearm years earlier as a deterrent and had forgotten it was in his luggage.

Ecclestone remains one of Formula 1’s most influential historical figures. He ran the sport commercially for almost four decades before leaving his leadership role following Liberty Media’s takeover in 2017. His latest airport incident, however, has once again placed the veteran F1 powerbroker in an unexpected spotlight.