Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone arrested at Portuguese airport with shotgun

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has been detained at a Portuguese airport after authorities found a shotgun in his possession without the required documentation. The 95-year-old was questioned for about an hour before being released, later insisting he had brought the gun to a clay pigeon shooting competition.

Ecclestone arrived at Tires Airport near Lisbon from Switzerland on Monday, where he was stopped by airport police and customs officials after a firearm was discovered. He said he was asked to produce a “blue book”, the documentation required to transport the weapon, but did not have it with him.

“They asked if I had a blue book, which is apparently the documentation you need, and I told them I never travel with such documents,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail.

Ecclestone subsequently surrendered the shotgun and was released later in the day. Speaking to the Press Association, he dismissed reports that he had been arrested and said Portuguese officers had been “very helpful” during the incident.

“I wanted to take part in a clay pigeon shooting competition in Portugal,” he said.

Ecclestone explained that he had previously taken the shotgun from England to Switzerland and did not expect any complications when he brought it to Portugal. Airport officials are said to have known him well, but a lack of the necessary paperwork meant he could not legally bring the firearm into the country.

THIS IS NOT HIS FIRST AIRPORT ACCIDENT

The episode is not Ecclestone’s first run-in with airport authorities over a firearm. In May 2022, he was detained at Viracopos Airport in Brazil after police discovered a .32 caliber pistol in his possession as he prepared to board a private flight to Switzerland.

Ecclestone was subsequently ordered to pay a fine of 6,000 Brazilian reals, around £1,000 at the time, and was allowed to leave the country.

The British businessman spent almost four decades as Formula 1’s most influential commercial figure, building his grip on the sport after securing the television rights in the late 1970s. He remained in charge until 2017 and continues to attend F1 races while dividing his time between Switzerland and Portugal.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

08 Sep 2026 10:25 IST