Bernie Ecclestone Attack

Wednesday November 24th, Bernie Ecclestone. 80, had been out with new girlfriend Fabiana Flosi, 31, when four robbers ambushed them on their return to the building.The attackers ordered the pair to remove precious items including a watch and diamond rings, before punching and kicking Ecclestone to the ground.

It is thought the thieves, who struck at the headquarters of Ecclestone’s business empire, Formula One Holdings, in Knightsbridge, may have been behind a string of attacks on the rich and famous in the area.

He may have been a little less pretty, but Bernie Ecclestone showed he is made of stern stuff yesterday as he returned to work less than 48 hours after being violently mugged.

He tells Britain's Daily Express, "I drove as I often do and we had just got out of the car when suddenly these guys laid into me. They said nothing to me, just went on the attack, so there was no chance to feel scared or react. When I was on the ground I could hear Fabiana screaming for help and I took a kick or two in the head and went unconscious. When I came to there was blood everywhere from my head wound but I was lucky. They weren't..."

When asked for a comment, Paul Levine, of LAPA Security said: “Many high net individuals like Bernie are a target for criminal activity and theft, purely on the basis of their status and value within today’s society.  This type of attack could have been avoided if Bernie had security measures in place, such as a personal security team.  Unfortunately for him, it was just his bad luck.”

Ecclestone’s daughter Tamara, 26, said: "He’s in his office back to business as usual. It is horrendous that we live in a society where this can happen."

The image of defenceless victim did not ring true with everyone. Some felt it was karma coming back to bite Ecclestone after he implied that Jenson Button was slow and “not too bright” after the McLaren driver was targeted by machine gun-wielding robbers in Sao Paulo last month.