Bernie Ecclestone's 'payments' in F1 sale deemed 'bribes' by judge

A British high court judge has said that multi-million pound payments made by British Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone relating to the sale of the sports in 2005 amounted to being a bribe.

Though the Formula One boss hasn't denied making any payments, he insists that these payments shouldn't be considered as bribes, since they were a part of slight 'shakedown' by Gerhard Gribkowsky, reports Telegraph.

Gribkowsky is alleged to receive an amount of 27 millions pounds from Ecclestone.

The statement by Justice Vos was a default ruling against Gribkowsky.

 A civil case in London and a criminal case in Germany are the two cases, which are running simultaneously against Gribkowsky.

He is alleged to receive bribes in order to manipulate the Formula One sale to CVC Partners in both of these cases.