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How F1’s Bernie Ecclestone Flipped His Massive $30 Million Superyacht

Bernie's still got it.

Image: DMARGE

Luxury superyacht Force Blue — once owned by American tycoon Roy Speer and later by Italian millionaire Flavio Briatore — ended up in the hands of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, who flipped it for an impressive profit.

From Jeff Bezos to Vladimir Putin , everyone who’s anyone has a fancy superyacht. Now, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone hasn’t just joined that privileged club, but he’s shown everyone else how to make a quick buck in the process.

As reported by Auto Evolution , Force Blue entered the world more than two decades ago in 2002. It spent its initial seven years under Roy Speer’s ownership. However, the journey took an exciting turn when Flavio Briatore acquired the Royal Denship yacht. Like many superyacht owners, Briatore gave it a makeover, infusing it with Italian style.

WATCH: Check out Jeff Bezos’ $700m superyacht…

A Decade of Waiting

Unfortunately for Briatore, his time with Force Blue was short-lived: In 2010, Italian authorities seized the yacht due to allegations of unpaid taxes while it was docked in the famous La Spezia on the Italian Riviera. While legal battles between Briatore and the authorities raged on, Force Blue waited in limbo.

Force Blue languished without a rightful owner for an entire decade as legal disputes rolled on. Then, in 2021, the yacht suddenly went up for auction. The winning bidder? Bernie Ecclestone, former Chief Exec of Formula One and a close friend of Briatore.

Ecclestone secured the yacht for an absolute steal: With a starting bid of just €7 million (~$12 million AUD), this was less than half of its estimated value and a fraction of what Briatore had reportedly paid for it back in 2009, which was just under $87 million USD (~$115 million AUD).

Ecclestone’s Makeover Magic

Ecclestone wasted no time after acquiring Force Blue : He embarked on a comprehensive refit that transformed the old expedition yacht into a modern, high-end vessel.

The refit boasts a beach club, a state-of-the-art spa — considered one of the largest spa facilities on the water — a private cinema and, perhaps most impressively, a DJ booth with a massive disco-lighting rig that’s capable of accommodating up to 60 seated guests or over 300 for quay events.

Weighing in at over 1,300 tons, Force Blue provides lavish accommodation for 12 guests and a sizable crew of 19. The lower deck featured five guest cabins, while the upper deck was dedicated to the full-beam master suite.

Luxury Redefined

It’s safe to say that with its brand-new full-height windows offering stunning sea views, Force Blue has become a superyacht that inspires envy amongst the rich elites who seem to purchase these vessels like it’s going out of fashion. No doubt it now requires the kind of extensive, cutting-edge security that we’ve come to see across the sector too.

Most impressively, however, is its massively increased worth after the refit, especially when you take into account the bargain bucket price that Eccelstone snapped it up for.

While experts are being cagey about an updated sale price, seemingly not wanting to let a number slip before Eccelstone decides he’s ready to sell and — given his undeniable business nouse — figures out his own magic number, suffice to say he should be able to more than triple his €7 million investment…

While most superyacht owners are hardly strapped for cash, it’s still quite the flex to make such an impressive return on such a massive and seemingly superfluous investment… it seems that Bernie’s still got it.

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Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone bought Flavio Briatore’s £18m yacht for bargain £6.6m after it’s seized by police

• Etienne Fermie
• Published : 8:00, 28 May 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

FORMER Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone treated himself to his old mate Flavio Briatore's yacht.

The stunning 63-metre Force Blue became available for auction last year, after Briatore was convicted of not paying the VAT.

And Ecclestone , 91, couldn't resist grabbing himself a bargain, picking up the yacht for a snip at £6.6m - despite his mate having originally paid £68.2m for it.

Briatore, 72, who previously owned QPR alongside Ecclestone - was found to have not paid around £3m in VAT on the boat between 2006 and 2010 - as well as around £700,000 in fuel duties.

The yacht, the 78th biggest on the planet, initially became available for charter in the Mediterranean, before the court decided to sell up at auction.

And according to Italian reports , Ecclestone snapped it up for just £6.6m - despite it being valued these days at around £17.5m.

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Able to house 12 guests, Force Blue possesses luxury features including a spa, gym and Jacuzzi to relax in - as well as a cinema and disco room if Bernie fancies a boogie.

Perhaps Bernie will be able to share the yacht with his kids, having become a father again at 89 with wife Fabiana..

And if he has his way, there could be more offspring yet .

He told SunSport last year: "Fabiana said she wanted a ­family, and I told her, ‘That’s no problem for me. Half a dozen kids is great’."

On being a father again, he added: "I am really happy. When I had the girls in the first place, obviously I was much younger.

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“But also I was more worried about running a business than running around after them.

"Now I have more time on my hands and I hope I can spend it with my son as he grows up. I don’t know if we will stop here. Perhaps he should have a little brother or sister.

"Do I take anything? No! Fabiana gives me some tablets — vitamin D — but I don’t take anything else."

Briatore, who also knows Ecclestone from his days as Renault F1 chief, was rushed to hospital in 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19.

• Bernie Ecclestone

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• Superyachts

FORCE BLUE Yacht – Remarkable $20M Superyacht

FORCE BLUE yacht is Bernie Eccelstone’s $20 Million superyacht. The striking yacht was delivered in 2002 from the Danish shipyard, Royal Denship, and features interior design from Rune Design, Laura Sessa Romboli, and Celeste Dell`Anna.

The sticking exterior of the yacht was developed by Tom Fexas Yacht Design and Ole Steen Knudsen.

The vessel is perfectly designed for entertainment on the water, with plenty of family-friendly spaces for a true superyacht lifestyle experience.

FORCE BLUE yacht interior

The interior of the FORCE BLUE yacht features magnificent designs from Rune Design, Laura Sessa Romboli , and Celeste Dell`Anna .

The vessel has accommodation for 12 guests in 6 cabins one VIP cabin, three double cabins, and one twin cabin.

There are crew accommodations for 17 crew members. The superyacht is packed with luxury features, from a well-appointed library that offers a relaxing spot, the movie theatre to wind down after a long day, or the dance floor where guests can dance the night away.

The extravagance continues in a full spa with a sauna and a dip in the jacuzzi. The spa includes a hammam, mud bath, and sauna pool.

There is also a gym for guests to catch a workout. The FORCE BLUE is packed with water toys for fun on the water.

These toys include a collection of towable toys, diving equipment, a sea bob, paddleboards, and much more. The FORCE BLUE yacht is also wheelchair friendly.

She features extensive exterior spaces for the perfect event charter and has a light and refreshing interior that guests can enjoy.

FORCE BLUE is the perfect yacht to hold events on as the aft bridge deck has a full bar and reception area for 60 guests.

FORCE BLUE yacht exterior

The exterior of the FORCE BLUE yacht was designed by Tom Fexas Yacht Design and Ole Steen Knudsen .

She features a royal blue steel hull in a white aluminum superstructure. Her hull is a full displacement hull, making her more stable while at anchor.

She was first built in 2002 by the Danish shipyard, Royal Denship. She later went through a refit at the beginning of 2022.

She was built as a part of Royal Densip’s expedition series, which include the yachts, TURMOIL, and BIG ARON. The shape of the yacht is a trawler expedition-style for adventure purposes.

FORCE BLUE yacht specifications

The FORCE BLUE yacht has a length of 63.3m, a beam of 11.38m, and a draft of 2.95m. She has a displacement of 1325 gross tons and is fitted with twin Caterpillar engines .

She comfortably cruises at 14 knots and reaches a maximum speed of 18 knots.

She has a range of up to 8000 nautical miles. She features an onboard stabilization system that ensures comfort for guests while at sea.

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• Destinations

Former Formula 1 patron Bernie Ecclestone bought Flavio Briatore’s yacht

The story involved two of the most famous names in Formula 1 .

Bernie Ecclestone, for decades at the head of the direction of this sport, seems to have recently bought the Force Blue mega yacht at the auction, previously owned by the famous businessman and former Formula 1 team manager Flavio Briatore.

The background

The story originated in May 2010 when the Italian finance police seized the yacht, owned by Briatore since 2002, while it was in the waters of the Italian city of La Spezia. Onboard, in addition to the crew, were also the showgirl Elisabetta Gregoraci, today the entrepreneur’s ex-wife, and her son Nathan Falco.

The accusation made by the investigators was clear right away. The entrepreneur was accused of having simulated a commercial activity of chartering his luxurious boat in the period 2006 – 2010. This would have allowed him to use the Force Blue, formally owned by the company Autumn Sailing Limited, for recreational use in Italian territorial waters, avoiding him to pay the due import VAT, equal to approximately 3.5 million euros.

Furthermore, again according to the prosecution, the yacht’s fuel was indicated as exempt from excise duties while it had to be burdened by ordinary taxes.

The first instance trial against Flavio Briatore ended in 2015, with a suspended sentence of 1 year and 11 months in prison for tax crimes related to the charter of the Force Blue yacht.

After various judicial vicissitudes that saw Briatore first convicted and then partially acquitted by misdemeanor prescription, the current situation sees a new trial that has reached the last level of judgment.

Why the auction of the yacht?

It was auctioned on January 27, 2021, at one-third of the market value. This is the fate to which the judges of the court of Genoa condemned the yacht Force Blue. The Flavio Briatore luxurious floating villa was seized in 2010 for the alleged evasion of 3.6 million VAT on imports.

The yacht was awarded to the highest bidder on an auction basis of 7 million euros, which is less than half of the 20 million estimated value at the time of the seizure. On the evaluation weighted the serious degradation conditions in which the Force Blue finds itself after a decade of forced inactivity, interrupted only occasionally for rental in the summer season.

This last solution was necessary to contain management costs which, however, did not avoid the accumulation of debts by the State, which therefore opted to sell the yacht at the preventive auction without waiting for the end of the Briatore’s process.

The latter had tried to block, through his lawyers, the sale by presenting four instances which, however, were vain.

What kind of boat are we talking about?

Force Blue is a superyacht over 63 meters long, almost 12 meters wide, and with a gross tonnage of over 1,325 tons. It was built and launched in 2002 by the Royal Denship, a Danish construction house that is no longer in business.

It is propelled by two 2000 horsepower engines and reaches a top speed of 17 knots. The cruising one stops at 14.

Comfort is ensured by the presence of an onboard crew that can reach up to 17 people.

Ecclestone’s entry onto the scene.

It was enough for the British tycoon to offer € 490,000 more than the seven million auction base to get the boat.

To contend for the boat through an offer were in 4.

In addition to the 90-year-old Bernard Ecclestone, the other competitors were all companies: Lethora Holdings Ltd based in the Virgin Islands , Sulfur Ltd based in the Bahamas , and Locamar Sa based in Luxembourg.

All offers in a sealed envelope were delivered to the notary Ugo Bechini who opened each one on the morning of January 27th, at the Hotel Bristol, a very central Genoese hotel.

Future developments

Is it all finally over? Absolutely not! In fact, as we said earlier, the process that sees the ownership of Force Blue as a dispute is not concluded.

Paradoxically, with a reversal of the sentence, Flavio Briatore could still return to being his legitimate owner, canceling the auction with which Ecclestone won the yacht.

We just have to wait until the next 9 of June to know the final sentence.

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Bernie Ecclestone buys USD 25 million yacht FORCE BLUE for 9 million

Bernie Ecclestone, has gifted himself the FORCE BLUE yacht from his former partner Flavio Briatore.

Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone bought Flavio Briatore’s $ 25,000,000 yacht for $ 9,000,000 , which had been seized by police and auctioned

The impressive 63-meter yacht Fraser Force Blue was recently up for auction, after Briatore, who bought it in 2002 for $ 93,000,000 , failed to pay about $ 4,000,000 in VAT on the boat between 2006 and 2010, as well as USD 960,000 in fuel taxes.

The yacht, which happens to be the 78th largest on the planet, was initially available for charter in the Mediterranean, before the court decided to sell it at auction.

With capacity for 12 guests, Force Blue has luxurious features that include a spa, gym and Jacuzzi for relaxation, as well as a movie theater and disco.

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JANUARY 27, 2022

Genoa court ends Briatore super-yacht tax probe

A tax evasion probe involving former F1 personality Flavio Briatore has finally ended.

The case goes all the way back to 2010, when Italian police seized the former Renault boss' 63-metre super-yacht called Force Blue.

It centred mainly around the ownership of the yacht - a company in the British Islands that allegedly then rented it out to Briatore for a saving of EUR 3.6 million euros in VAT and EUR 800,000 in fuel taxes.

However, a court in Genoa on Wednesday acquitted 71-year-old Briatore.

"After 12 years and six trials, my innocence is finally established," Briatore is quoted by Het Nieuwsblad. "Fortunately, this ordeal is over."

Force Blue, estimated to be worth EUR 20 million, was bought by Briatore's friend and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone last year.

Briatore's lawyer Massimo Pelliccotta told Ansa news agency: "This outcome is unacceptable, because the yacht was sold before the completion of the proceedings.

"Now both the yacht's new owner and Briatore have the right to demand adequate compensation."

RICCIARDO COULD END F1 CAREER WITH MCLAREN`

Horner hopes hamilton returns to f1, hamilton title loss also cost bottas money, genoa court ends briatore super-yacht tax probe, barcelona loses official pre-season test status.

Daily Nautica

L’ex yacht di Briatore “Force Blue” è di nuovo in vendita

In passato era finito al centro della cronaca per un presunto caso di evasione fiscale. adesso il “force blue” appartenuto a flavio briatore è finito di nuovo sul mercato.

Force Blue, lusso e comfort senza limiti  

Layout esterno e interno, interni del force blue, scheda tecnica – force blue, fotogallery 6 immagini.

Argomenti: Daily Nautica , tasse-&-fisco

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The Christian Horner meeting which revealed stark F1 change to Flavio Briatore

Flavio Briatore is readjusting to life in F1 and says he’s discovered something that has changed dramatically over the years.

Briatore is back within the fold at Alpine, with Groupe Renault CEO Luca de Meo appointing him as executive advisor to conduct moves to help transform the fortunes of the Enstone-based squad, which will be led by new team boss Oliver Oakes in the second half of the season.

Eddie Jordan: Friendships don’t happen anymore with team bosses

Appearing alongside former Jordan F1 team boss Eddie Jordan on the Formula For Success podcast, Flavio Briatore – whose tenure as an F1 team boss with Benetton and Renault during the 1990s and 2000s largely overlapped with Jordan’s – the pair reminisced on some of the times shared together on the grid as rivals near the front of F1’s midfield and, occasionally, fighting for wins and titles.

Jordan made the point that, in stark contrast to today, the team bosses were much more willing to be friends with each other.

“One of the first times that I met Flavio, it was with Michael Flatley from Riverdance, I think it was Naomi [Campbell] and Flavio, Bernie [Ecclestone] came with Slavica [Ecclestone’s ex-wife], we had Pierce Brosnan, and Helena Christensen,” Jordan said.

“We went to a dance, wherever it was, and we went back and had dinner together. I mean, those things don’t happen anymore with team principals.

“When people ask me what was the best time in my life, is it now with Formula 1? I have to say the friendships that I had in the times of the 1990s far surpass what I can see is happening at the moment.”

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Flavio Briatore reveals chat with Christian Horner

Briatore, who has only recently returned to the F1 paddock after his time at Renault came to an abrupt end in 2009 when he was issued a ban from the sport for his role in the ‘Crashgate’ scandal, said he can see stark differences in how the F1 paddock personnel interact with each other compared to when he was a prominent team leader.

Speaking about the recent Belgian Grand Prix, Briatore revealed how Alpine ‘s roll-out of its brand-new motorhome hospitality unit led to a catch-up with Christian Horner which led to an astonishing admission from the Red Bull team boss.

“We had the new motorhome at Spa,” Briatore said.

“It’s called the Alpine motorhome, Alpine as in the mountains, kind of like a chalet, done by Phillippe Starck.

“Everybody was curious because it’s looking completely different inside. It’s like you are really there in Cheval or somewhere, so everyone was curious.

“So Christian called me, asking me ‘Flavio, can I come and see your motorhome?’

“I told him ‘Absolutely’, and we spent 20 or 30 minutes together. We had a coffee, and Christian told me it was the first time in many years he had seen another motorhome in Formula 1.”

Briatore revealed how he and Jordan, as well as other 1990s F1 team bosses, would constantly dip in and out of each other’s paddock areas, and how social events were organised together.

“So basically, at the time with Eddie, I’d go to his motorhome, and he’d come in my motorhome. We’d go to the motorhome of Ferrari.” he said.

“Excluding Ron Dennis [then-McLaren team boss], I’d never go to the motorhome of Ron Dennis – the team principals had a super relationship. I remember we had the party at Maranello with Luca [di Montezemelo – Ferrari chairman]. We had lunch and it was much more friendly the situations between team principals.

“Now, it’s completely different. We were always fighting together because we wanted to win, we wanted to have a better car, and we wanted to have everything.

“But I believe it was more human, I don’t know, we were much more human respect and what the people are looking at now is only technical, only business, only this and that.

“I believe we can come back to this friendly situation, Stefano [Domenicali -F1 CEO] is doing the best because Stefano tries all the time to organise dinner and meetings with the people, but the feeling is different.

“We had a joke, we spent time together – holiday, no holiday. Now I believe it’s completely different. I don’t know if it’s better or worse, but it is different.”

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Ecclestone buys Briatore yacht at auction

Former Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has auctioned off the luxurious 63-meter Force Blue megayacht, once owned by former Formula 1 chief Flavio Briatore.

The purchase cost the 90-year-old ex-manager about 7.5 million euros.

Recall that a few years ago, Italian justice found Briatore guilty of serious violations of tax laws. In this regard, the court seized the businessman's watercraft, and later confiscated it. Briatone's lawyers filed more than one appeal, but could not change the court's decision. As a result, Force Blue was put up for auction, where it was bought by Ecclestone.

It should be noted that at one time the yacht, created in 2002 by the Dutch shipyard Royal Denship, was estimated at 20 million euros. Therefore, we can say that the ex-head of Formula 1 got the boat at a very low price.

Briatore and Ecclestone have been maintaining business and friendly relations for many years, so it is possible that the former and new owners of the yacht will be able to agree on its joint operation.

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