Bernie Ecclestone wins appeal court backing on £80m damages claim Formula One motorsport boss Bernie Ecclestone has won the latest round of a legal fight with a German media company. In February, a high court judge in London dismissed a claim for around £80m in damages by Constantin Medien, and a court of appeal judge on Wednesday refused to allow Constantin to challenge that decision. The German media company accused Ecclestone of entering into a "corrupt agreement" with a banker to facilitate the sale of the Formula One Group to a buyer chosen by him. It said it had lost out as a result. Mr Ecclestone disputed Constantin's claim. Lawyers for Constantin told the high court that payments totalling about £27m were made to Gerhard Gribkowsky - a "senior-ranking official" at a German bank - at the instigation of Ecclestone. They said a "corrupt arrangement" was entered into between Ecclestone and Gribkowsky in 2005. Ecclestone said Constantin's claim lacked "any merit" and he denied any conspiracy. He said he paid Gribkowsky £10m because the banker had insinuated that he would create difficulties with tax authorities. Mr Justice Newey had concluded in February that the payments made were a "bribe." He said they were made because Ecclestone had entered into a "corrupt agreement" with the banker in 2005. But he said no loss to Constantin had been proved and therefore the company's claim failed. The appeal court judge, Lord Justice Patten, on Wednesday refused to give Constantin permission to mount an appeal against Mr Justice Newey's ruling. He said he had analysed legal arguments put forward by Constantin and concluded that an appeal would have "no real prospect of success."