'Bernie Avenue' drops off the F1 road map

[July 29, 2017]    BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Formula One has taken a new direction since Liberty Media's takeover in January and 'Bernie Avenue' has dropped off the Hungarian Grand Prix road map.

Bernie Ecclestone looks on before the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit, near Budapest, Hungary July 26, 2015. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

For years at grand prix time, the winding country road leading to the main entrance of the Hungaroring circuit was marked by a sign in honor of the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

The 86-year-old Briton was shoved aside in January when U.S.-based Liberty Media took control of the sport, however, and the sign has disappeared.

Chase Carey, the moustachioed American who has taken over Ecclestone's role, said it was nothing to do with him or the new owners.

"I assure you we didn’t have anything to do with it. We had no role because I didn’t know about it," he told Reuters with a smile.

"I can assure you there will not be a Carey avenue," he added. "It's like last year when we went to Mexico and our (paddock) hospitality was (signed as) 'Mr E's'. We are not having 'Mr C’s'."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Nick Mulvenney)

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.