Ecclestone fought to keep McLaren in

"It came very close to McLaren being thrown out, it really was a genuine possibility," Ecclestone told the BBC on Friday.

"A few of us sort of battled on and campaigned for the fine instead," he added.

McLaren were stripped of all their constructors' championship points and fined $100 million in the spy controversy hearing on Thursday.

Ecclestone said the possibility of an exclusion was "much closer than everybody says", and the Briton admitted that would have been bad for the sport.

"Formula One is now more open than it has ever been because the threat is definitely there now if any team is helping anyone else," added Ecclestone. "Even if it is a smaller team than McLaren, they're gone, without any hesitation.

"The alternative to the fine was worse, being excluded from the championship for two years. It was much closer than everybody says it was.

"It really would have been bad news. McLaren would have lost more than they have been fined, if they'd have not been able to keep going."