Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has stirred controversy after claiming🎉 some ‘black people are 𒉰more racist than white people’, comments that have prompted F1 itself to issue a statement to further distance itself from him.

In an , Ecclestone expressed his opinion on F1’s drive towards improving diversity within the sport, which itself was spurred on by Lewis Hamilton’s ꦐattempt to push for greater equality in motorsport.

The six-time World Champion has been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement over social media and encourag💜ed the sport to follow suit, leading to this week’s announcement it is launching the #WeRaceAsOne task force to improve and support diversity.

Hamilton’s proactiveness did earn praise from Ecclestone, who said he recognised the work he is doing to use 🍎his huge global profile f𓆏or the benefit of good.

"Lewis is a little bit special. First, he's very, very, very talented as ඣa driver and he seems to be now extremely talented when's he standing up and can make speeches.

"T⛄his last campaign he's doing for black people is wonderful. He's doing a great job and it's 🐼people like that - easily recognisable - that people listen to."

However, he is cynical as to whether F1’s own efforts will have the🍎 desired effect beyond maꦕking ‘people think’.

"I don't think it's ꩵgoing to do anything bad or good for Formula 1. It'll just make people think which is more important. I think that's the same for every🌌body.

"In lots of cases, black people are m💟ore racist than what w💞hite people are."

When asked to provide a specific example, he replied that it 💜was something he’d ‘noticed’.

Ecclestone was in charge of F1 back in 2008 when supporters of then t♌eam-mate Fernando Alonso donned ‘blackface’ to target the Briton during testing in Spain, a moment the Mercedes driver has referenced in recent weeks as having a profound effect on him.

However, E👍cclestone says he is upset to learn it hurt him as much as it did, as he wasn’t awar൩e of this at the time.

“I'm surprised that [the blackface in Spain] concerns [Hamilton]. I'm really unhappy if he took it seriously. I never thought he dꦯid. I didn't think it affect💮ed him."

Though Ecclestone doesn’t hold any formalꦜ role within F1 since he was eased out in the wake of Liberty Group’s takeover in 2017, he was made a Chairman Emeritus when he departed, while he remains a recognisable and influential figure associated with the sport even today.

As such, F1 hasಞ gone on to issue its own statement rebuking Ecclestone’s statements in an effort to distance him from both Liberty and the sport as a whole, adding his Chairman Emeritus role has already expired.

“At a time when unity is needed to tackle racism and inequality, we completely disagree with Berni🙈e Ecclestone’s comments that have no place in Formula 1💜 or society. Mr Ecclestone has played no role in Formula 1 since he left our organisation in 2017, his title Chairman Emeritus, being honorific, expired in January 2020.”