Former F1 suprem🍰o Be☂rnie Ecclestone has sold his huge car collection to Red Bull heir Mark Mateschitz.

The collection of 69 cars - featuring winners raced by champions Michael Schumacher, Nelson Piq🦄uet, Niki Lauda, Mike Hawthorn and Alberto Ascari - is valued to be worth an estimated £500 million.

Ecclestone ha💫s sold his private car collection to Red Bull billionair🐎e Mateschitz, the son of the late founder of the energy drinks empire, Dietrich, who died aged 78 in 2022.

Mateschitz, 32,𝓡 is a family friend of the Ecclestones. He is described as being th🃏e “best and most worthy owner” by 94-year-old ex-F1 boss Ecclestone.

ও“These are unique vehicles. They have written sport history and marked technical milestones. They 💮embody 70 years of F1 history,” Ecclestone told .

“I am 94 and with luck I might have a few y🃏ears longer. Who knows? But I didn’t want to leave Fabi [Ecclestone’s wife] wondering what to do with them if I𓆏 was no longer around.

“I love all my cars but maybe I should have done this five years ago, but I never got aꦑround to it until now.”

Mateschitz paid an undisclosed sum to seal the deal that will see the collection put on p൩ublic display i🤡n the future.

“I am vဣery pleased that Bernie has placed his trust in me to take c🌱are of this historically significant collection,” Mateschitz said.

“It will be carefully preserved, expanded over the years, and in the near future 𒆙it will be made accessible to the public at an appropriate location.”