Bernie Ecclestone Detained in Portugal After Shotgun Found on Private Jet
LISBON — Former Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was briefly detained in Portugal after authorities discovered a shotgun aboard his private jet during a routine inspection at an airport near Lisbon.
The 95-year-old British motorsport billionaire was stopped on Monday at Tires Aerodrome near Cascais after Portuguese authorities found the firearm without the documentation required to bring it into the country. He was later released after surrendering the weapon and completing the necessary paperwork.
The incident has renewed attention on Ecclestone's previous encounter with authorities over a firearm in Brazil four years ago.
Ecclestone says the shotgun was for shooting
Ecclestone told the Daily Mail that he had brought the shotgun from Switzerland because he planned to take part in a clay-pigeon shooting event.
He said he was unaware that he needed a document known as a “blue book” to legally bring the firearm into Portugal. Ecclestone said the weapon was legally owned in Switzerland and that he did not intend to break Portuguese law.
According to Reuters, Ecclestone and his wife, Fabiana Flosi, had travelled from Switzerland on his private jet. The firearm was discovered during a routine check after the aircraft arrived in Portugal.
Ecclestone has disputed descriptions of the incident as an arrest, saying he was stopped and questioned before the matter was resolved.
Why authorities seized the firearm
Portuguese authorities require specific documentation for firearms brought into the country.
Because Ecclestone did not have the required paperwork, officials seized the shotgun and began the appropriate legal process.
Ecclestone subsequently signed documents and surrendered the weapon, allowing the authorities to deal with the firearm in accordance with Portuguese regulations.
The incident does not amount to a finding that Ecclestone intentionally smuggled a weapon into Portugal. The available reporting indicates that the central issue was the lack of required documentation.
A striking repeat of his 2022 firearm incident
The Portuguese episode is not Ecclestone's first encounter with authorities over a firearm.
In May 2022, Brazilian police detained him at Viracopos International Airport after a small handgun was discovered in his luggage as he prepared to leave Brazil for Switzerland.
Ecclestone said at the time that he did not know the weapon was in his luggage. He was released after paying bail and continued his journey.
The similarity between the two incidents has therefore attracted considerable attention, particularly because both involved firearms being transported internationally without the appropriate documentation.
The former F1 power broker
Ecclestone remains one of the most influential figures in Formula 1 history.
He spent decades building the commercial structure of the sport and played a central role in transforming Formula 1 from a collection of European motor races into a globally televised sporting business.
He effectively ran Formula 1's commercial operations for decades before stepping down in 2017, following Liberty Media's acquisition of the commercial rights to the championship.
Although no longer in charge, Ecclestone has remained a prominent figure around Formula 1 and continues to make appearances and offer opinions on the sport.
Ecclestone maintains a close connection to Portugal
The former F1 boss also has a significant connection to Portugal.
He and his family have a residence in the Cascais area, close to where the latest airport incident occurred.
His wife, Fabiana Flosi, has also remained involved in the motorsport world and serves as vice-president for sport at Formula 1's governing body, the FIA.
What happens next?
Ecclestone was released after the incident, but the firearm was surrendered to Portuguese authorities and the matter remains subject to the country's legal procedures.
The key issue is not an allegation that the former F1 chief used the shotgun unlawfully, but that he entered Portugal with a firearm without the required documentation.
At 95, Ecclestone has spent decades navigating the high-pressure world of international motorsport and business.
Yet his latest trip to Portugal produced an unexpected kind of pit stop — not on an F1 circuit, but at an airport security checkpoint after authorities discovered a shotgun in his private jet.
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