"It's the right moment to take a step back." Liberty Media, the parent company of Formula 1, has announced a significant change in leadership, as long-serving chairman John C. Malone will resign from the board at the end of this year. Malone, the founder of Liberty Media who oversaw the company’s acquisition of Formula 1 in 2017, will take on the role of Chairman Emeritus starting January 1, 2026, as confirmed by the company in a statement. He will be succeeded by Robert R. "Dob" Bennett, the current vice chairman of Liberty and one of its founding members, who has played a crucial role in key strategic decisions for over thirty years. "Founding Liberty Media and serving as its Chairman has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career," Malone, who is 84, stated. "With our portfolio successfully simplified and our operating businesses in strong positions, I think it’s the right moment to step back." Malone continues to be one of Liberty’s largest shareholders, possessing nearly half of the voting power in Formula 1's trading stocks. Bloomberg estimates his personal net worth to be over $10 billion.

      "Certainly, many friends have come and gone."

      As Bernie Ecclestone marks his 95th birthday, the former Formula 1 chief states that, at this stage in his life, only one individual qualifies as a true friend - Flavio Briatore. In an interview with Bild in Gstaad, where he had invited German journalist Helmut Uhl, 74, and former Formula 1 Management associate Hannah Gude, Ecclestone reminisced about his lengthy and often solitary path through motorsport and business.

      "My daughters wanted to throw a large celebration," he chuckled. "I'd prefer to fly with Fabi and Ace to my ranch in Brazil."

      When asked how many friends he has, Ecclestone took a moment. "That’s a very, very good question. Naturally, many friends have come and gone," he noted, gesturing with air quotes around the word ‘friends’. "But I had real friends, hold on a sec... maybe four. Yes, four."

      Three of them—Jochen Rindt, Max Mosley, and Niki Lauda—are no longer with us. When Uhl presented him with a photo from Lauda’s funeral, Ecclestone promptly handed it back. "I don’t want it," he stated.

      So, who is left? "Flavio Briatore," Ecclestone replied. "The only one still living."

      "What does friendship mean to you?" Uhl inquired.

      "It can only be someone who stands by you through thick and thin over a long period, someone you trust completely, and who is willing to take risks," Ecclestone explained.

      "I have a good example of that with Flavio. When his yacht was seized by the Italian authorities in 2010 for unpaid fuel tax, I bought it at auction and sold it back to him for the same price—plus one dollar," he laughed.

      When asked if he feared authorities would see that, Ecclestone smiled: "That’s what friendship means to me."

      He also mentioned Karl-Heinz Zimmermann as a friend, "but the four I mentioned have been closer and along for longer."

      Now residing quietly between Switzerland and Brazil, Ecclestone remains a dedicated follower of Formula 1. "I watch every race, even all the practice sessions, and I wake up at the right times for races overseas," he shared.

      His wife Fabiana, 49, remarked that Bernie is a committed father to five-year-old Ace despite his age. "It’s going very well. Bernie and I are a team, raising Ace together," she noted. "When I get impatient, Bernie calmly explains that Ace can’t watch TV for half an hour until his homework is complete."

      "It’s challenging to explain to Ace that online activities, tablets, and YouTube are only allowed on Tuesdays, while his classmates have access every day," she added. "I think it’s prudent for him to receive his first cellphone at 12 or 14."

      Ecclestone proudly stated: "Ace has accepted this and doesn’t complain. He’s bright, intelligent, a wonderful boy. I already see no limits to what he’ll be capable of."

      Despite having an estimated fortune of up to $10 billion, Ecclestone insists that money was never his primary motivation. "It sounds incredible, I know, but money and being wealthy have never driven me," he said. "It was my ideas and deals that motivated me."