'Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone detained over shotgun in private jet'

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, the 95-year-old was stopped at Tires Aerodrome in Cascais, near Lisbon, on Monday morning after arriving in the country.

The weapon was alleged to have been discovered during a routine operation involving the airport division of Portugal’s Public Security Police. Ecclestone was subsequently detained over the possession of the shotgun.

The former CEO of Formula 1 owns a private jet, a Dassault Falcon 7X model, which is reportedly valued at around £35m.

Speaking after the incident, Ecclestone said the shotgun was on the aircraft because he had intended to go clay-pigeon shooting. He described the episode as “wall-to-wall aggravation”, according to the Daily Mail.

Ecclestone also claimed that his wife, Fabiana Flosi, is now in Lisbon trying to rectify the situation.

Ecclestone was arrested and bailed over a similar offence in 2022 when he attempted to board a flight in Brazil while illegally carrying a gun.

He acknowledged owning the gun but said at the time that he was unaware it was in his luggage. He was freed and allowed to travel to Switzerland after paying bail. He described it afterwards as a 'silly, tiny little incident', saying it had caused a lot of aggravation as he and family tried to leave Sao Paulo by private plane.

Ecclestone, who controlled the commercial rights of Formula One until 2017 is a rare visitor in the paddock these days but did attend the Austrian Grand Prix back in June.

It has been reported that the former F1 supremo is backing Kimi Antonelli for the drivers' championship this season but is still of the opinion that Max Verstappen is the strongest driver in the field.