Grapevine: Bernie Reveals Train Robbery Link

Formula One supreme Bernie Ecclestone has come clean about long-time rumours linking him with the Great Train Robbery - by revealing that his annual Race Promoter of the Year trophy was designed by the getaway driver

One of the great urban myths surrounding Ecclestone is that he was somehow involved in Britain's most famous robbery - which has been fuelled in part by frequent appearances Ronnie Biggs made at the Brazilian Grand Prix while he was living in the country.

Speaking in an interview with The Independent, however, Ecclestone insisted that there was no truth that he was involved in the robbery at all - although he did reveal links with getaway driver Roy James.

"There wasn't enough money on that train; I could have done something better than that," he said when asked to comment about the rumours linking him with The Great Train Robbery.

"No, I'll tell you where that [rumour] came from. Roy James, the guy who drove the getaway car, had been a racing driver. That's why they wanted him in the getaway car. Anyway, Roy was very friendly with Graham Hill, and when he came out of prison, he asked me for a job.

"I owned [the racing team] Brabham at the time, but I wasn't going to let him drive for me.

"Instead, I gave him a trophy to make; he'd also been a silversmith and goldsmith. That's still the trophy we give to the promoters every year. He made it. The recipients don't realise that."

The race promoters' trophy is handed out by Ecclestone at the annual FIA Awards for the best organised Grand Prix each year.