| Slavica Ecclestone | |
|---|---|
| Born | Slavica Radić 25 May 1958 Rijeka, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) |
| Spouse | Bernie Ecclestone (m. 1985–2009, divorced) |
Slavica Ecclestone (born Radić, 25 May 1958) [1] is a former model and ex-wife of Formula One racing CEO Bernie Ecclestone.
She was born in 1958 in Rijeka, Croatia.[2] The young Slavica worked as an international fashion model, modelling for a number of leading clients, including designer Armani.
While working on a Formula One promotional event for Armani at the 1982 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, she met Bernie Ecclestone.[3] [4] [5] Bernie pursued Slavica doggedly, undaunted by their 28-year age difference, the language barrier (she spoke Croatian and Italian, he spoke only English), and their difference in height. At 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m), Slavica was nearly a foot taller than her suitor, Ecclestone being only 5 ft 2½ in (1.59 m) tall.
Slavica was patron of the non-partisan British-Croatian Society in London.[6]
The couple have two daughters, Tamara (born 1984) and Petra (born December 1988).
A complex system of companies places much of the Bernie Ecclestone's wealth in Slavica's name, with much of his Formula One related property owned by a Jersey-based holding company (named SLEC, for SLavica ECclestone), of which Slavica is the major stockholder. She also owns her own promotion company.
It was confirmed in November 2008 that Slavica Ecclestone filed for divorce after twenty-three years of marriage.[7] The divorce was granted on March 11, 2009.[8]