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F1 NEWS

Theissen: Ecclestone apology necessary

By Simon Strang and Jonathan Noble

Thursday, July 9th 2009, 16:56 GMT

BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen expects Bernie Ecclestone to make a public apology for comments he made about Adolf Hitler, when he arrives at the Nurburgring.

Ecclestone has already gone on record as saying he was an 'idiot' for suggesting that Hitler had 'got things done'.

But Theissen, team principal of one of two leading German manufacturers involved in Formula 1, branded the comments 'disgusting' and said that another public apology is necessary at this weekend's German Grand Prix.

"I would say obviously they [the comments] were wrong," said Theissen. "Disgusting.

"Apparently, he was shocked himself when he was confronted with what he has said, and he has made some comments meanwhile. And as I have heard, he will make some more comments as soon as he is here, and I think this is necessary."

Theissen indicated that the comments had not had an affect on the negotiations over F1's future between the FIA, Ecclestone's organisation FOM and the Formula One Team's Association (FOTA).

"The negotiations which are ongoing are not only run by Bernie, not even on the FOA side," he said. "So we have to make sure that we come to a conclusion."

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