F1's Ecclestone sued for $500m: report

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly facing a new $500 million-plus lawsuit over the sale of the sport's rights eight years ago.

Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly facing a new $500 million-plus lawsuit from German bank BayernLB. (AAP)

German bank BayernLB is seeking 345 million euros ($A517.5 million) in a lawsuit against Formula One magnate Bernie Ecclestone over the 2006 sale of the sport's rights, according to a report.

German press agency DPA says the Bavarian bank has filed a fresh suit in Munich against the 84-year-old Ecclestone, the chief executive officer of Formula One.

The Bavarian state bank, who were unavailable for comment on Friday, accuse the British billionaire of bribing one of its executives to influence the 2006 sale of Formula One's rights.

Ecclestone has counter-sued BayernLB by filing a suit in London, according to reports.

In August, Ecclestone avoided a possible prison sentence by agreeing to pay $US100 million ($A108.2 million) to settle a case in Munich after state prosecutors said he given BayernLB executive Gerhard Gribkowsky $US44 million ($A47.6 million) as a bribe to help smooth the sale.

Ecclestone has never denied paying the money.

He said, however, he was blackmailed into paying the huge sum or would have risked losing the Formula One rights.

The corruption case tainted the Formula One chief's tenure for more than three years.

Gribkowsky is serving an eight-and-a-half year sentence for corruption and tax fraud after accepting the money.


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