Bernie accuses FIA of ‘extortion’ over TV rights

The FIA says that Ecclestone's family-owned SLEC trust has failed to pay an initial US$60 million after securing the commercial rights to F1 for an extra 100 years. The extended deal, agreed last year, is in addition to the previous agreement with the governing body, which lasts until 2010.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ecclestone has another seven years to pay the balance of the rights fee, which the FIA has refused to disclose. Earlier this week, the Financial Times quoted a figure of £258 million (US$400 million) as the total amount SLEC has to give the FIA.

FIA president Max Mosley claims the initial payment was due in July and has now given Ecclestone an ultimatum to pay up or risk losing the rights. But Ecclestone insists he has already made an initial payment and claims that the FIA's current stance may be as a result of the organisation running into tax problems.

"Max likes to argue more than I do," Ecclestone told The Times newspaper. "These reports are anything but true. Max has been trying to do some extortion. Maybe he has some problems with the tax authorities in France? He wants the money paid immediately, but he has no right to do that."

In an FIA statement, Mosley said: "There is no question of extorting money from Mr Ecclestone. We are just trying to get the family trust to keep to their undertaking to agree a contract and make an initial payment of US$60 million.

"This should have been done last July. We have now informed them that if they don't complete immediately, the next FIA General Assembly may decide to make other arrangements. This seems to be entirely reasonable."

Should Ecclestone fail to pay up before the next General Assembly meeting on March 22, the 'big five' group of car manufacturers, which is already interested in buying a significant stake in SLEC, could instead purchase the 100-year TV deal. The 'big five' includes Ferrari (Fiat), Jaguar (Ford), Mercedes, BMW and Renault. All are currently active in F1 and all want to safeguard their significant investments in the sport.

Premier 1 Grand Prix, the consortium hoping to launch a football club-backed rival series to F1, has also announced its intention of bidding for the long-term TV rights.

The situation has left F1 insiders wondering if the spat is the beginning of the end for one of the sport's most fruitful double acts - or another carefully choreographed scene in the long-running 'Max & Bernie Show'.