Ecclestone backs leaving EU but 'doubts he will vote'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36085452

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The UK should "get the hell out of" the European Union, motor racing boss Bernie Ecclestone has suggested.

The Formula 1 chief executive said he would probably not vote in the 23 June EU referendum, but was "100%" supportive of the Leave campaign.

In an interview with WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell, he said he did not see what the EU "does for England".

But Sir Martin said his business would be damaged if the UK voted to leave and immigration had benefited the UK.

He said clients of his firm would close plants and jobs would be lost in the event of a Leave vote.

The two were speaking at the Advertising Week Europe conference in London.

Asked whether the UK derived any economic benefit from being in the EU, Mr Ecclestone replied "none at all".

He said he was sure the EU would agree to continue trading with the UK if it left: "Anything we have got and we want to sell, people will buy. If people have got something and we have got the money, we will buy it."

During the course of the interview, Mr Ecclestone also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and claimed female drivers "wouldn't be taken seriously" in his sport and was unsure if "a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly".