Bernie Ecclestone is not above making a wry joke with his annual Christmas cards and this year is no exception.
His cartoon card features the team bosses waving goodbye to Max Mosley. Meanwhile Flavio Briatore – depicted aboard a pirate rowboat – takes aim at his yacht with a harpoon.
Mosley and Briatore have been trading indignant statements over the lifetime ban Briatore was handed following the Singapore Grand Prix race-fixing scandal. Briatore has appealed against the ruling in the French courts and a verdict is due on January 5th.
Last year Ecclestone’s card featured Max Mosley whipping the team bosses in a nod towards the ‘Spankgate’ row.
Read more: Bernie Ecclestone mocks Max Mosley with a ‘Spankgate’ Christmas card
Prisoner Monkeys
20th December 2009, 21:26
Hahaha.
Who says Ecclestone is a humourless old coot?
Random Chimp
22nd December 2009, 9:55
I doubt he had much if any creative input
Steph90
20th December 2009, 21:28
Last years was better in my opinion but this is still one of the best Christmas cards ever :P
slr
20th December 2009, 21:29
Who is the guy on the far right meant to be? I’ve spent several minutes trying to identify him.
Sam
20th December 2009, 21:33
Jean Todt I think
thestig84
20th December 2009, 21:33
In the blue shirt? Jean Todt. Not sure about the guy in the hut though…too small
José Baudaier
20th December 2009, 21:39
The guy in the hut is good’n’ol’ Bernie himself.
Titch
22nd December 2009, 17:06
Surely Bernie in the hut is the guy who rented the rowboat to Flavio – is this telling us something?
Kimster
20th December 2009, 21:40
It is Bernie himself.
Myles Woerner
20th December 2009, 21:34
Where’s Martin Whitmarsh? And Who is the other guy in the boat with Mosley and Theissen?
mail123456
20th December 2009, 21:37
John Howett (Toyota)
thestig84
20th December 2009, 22:07
Whitmarsh has to be the one with the black jacket, only because it is the only one left. Looks nothing like him mind you!
Emmet
20th December 2009, 21:37
I think that’s Toyota’s John Howett??
José Baudaier
20th December 2009, 21:44
Great card, really funny. Does the ideas for the cards really come from Ecclestone or does he hired someone? Anybody knows?
zerogee
20th December 2009, 22:26
I don’t think anyone has ever said Bernie was a humourless old coot…? Anyone who has ever seen him interviewed will know he’s hysterically funny but completely deadpan…
Scribe
20th December 2009, 23:42
it’s great fun watching him make mincemeat of jake humphreys.
Marrc
20th December 2009, 22:36
i want one of those
gabal
20th December 2009, 22:38
Nice card :)
bobo
20th December 2009, 23:21
anybody noticed the circling sharks?
Scribe
20th December 2009, 23:44
the pihrana club was a classic but unwilling to pay Bernie’s fee.
While praise of the Shark clubs facilities has been praised the lack of man savaging was not.
James_mc
21st December 2009, 0:11
Since when did Whitmarsh wear leather? Lol
Maciek
21st December 2009, 0:37
I’m pretty sure that looks more like a hand-held missile launcher than a harpoon – Bernie’s reflection on the depth of Flavio’s anger, or Bernie’s own feelings towards Mosley (and the others in the boat)? I mean, if you try to imagine what happens next, Flavio’s pulling that trigger, no two ways about it.
bobo
21st December 2009, 4:10
you are exactly right! I just looked at it again and realised that it’s an RPG. So Flavio has been cast in the role of ‘Somali Pirate’, how very interesting. So RPG + circling sharks = imminent doom…right? So who are the sharks, the media?
themark
21st December 2009, 1:07
What I find funniest of all is that Bernie has positioned himself away from the others… in a Lifeguard station. I don’t think he’ll be swimming out to save Max.
wasiF1
21st December 2009, 1:11
Where are the new team bosses?
Pink Peril
21st December 2009, 3:25
This is hilarious, although I’m not sure Theissen & Howett would want to be so closely associated with S&Max…
sumedh
21st December 2009, 8:53
Nice!!! very nice!!!
f1aroo
21st December 2009, 10:04
since everything on the card seems to have significance:
what does having just Ferrari and Red Bull racing in the background mean???
Bern has the checkered flag.
The sail is on the wrong side for a boat heeling to port.
Max is waving but Theissen and Howett seem rather glum.
Todt is short.
Who wears blue and brown together.
What does the little red flag on the sailboat mean—Ferrari something?
PJA
21st December 2009, 10:21
Good card, I think the only thing it is missing is an incoming boat with the new team bosses.
PeriSoft
21st December 2009, 16:46
…presumably a horrible little raft made of driftwood, lashed together with bits of vine.
JoeE
21st December 2009, 11:23
has anyone got a link to the 2007 card
i cant find it no where – google has failed this time around
Chaz
21st December 2009, 18:21
lol…
Mike "the bike" Schumacher
22nd December 2009, 0:22
Brilliant, only the beach isn’t very christmassy.
Matt
22nd December 2009, 13:09
It is down here in Australia :D
wasiF1
22nd December 2009, 1:27
If we look carefully behind Bernie we are having two F1 cars racing even it’s snowing & none of the team principle is on the pit wall.