Bernie Ecclestone after visiting Formula E in Sao Paulo: "It's Formula 1 level!"

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was a guest at the invitation of Formula E in Sao Paulo. Following his first visit to an E-Prix, the 93-year-old expressed his enthusiasm and qualified his criticism of the electric series, which he had voiced in the early days when he was still CEO of Formula 1.

"It's the first race I've been to and it looks super, super, super," said Ecclestone on the grid for the Sao Paulo E-Prix, after speaking to the eventual race winner Sam Bird and Jean-Eric Vergne, among others, who he remembers from their time in Formula 1.

"I thought it wouldn't last. I thought the first race would be the last," said the Brit, recapitulating his attitude in the early days of the racing series. In October 2012, Bernard Charles Ecclestone (his full name) even compared the technology of the electric cars to lawnmowers in an interview with PTI.

In this respect in particular, he is now striking a completely different tone. "So I am very pleased to see that technically it has become very good. Technically, it's Formula 1 level."

Ecclestone criticises predictability in Formula 1

But Ecclestone also praises the entertainment factor of the racing series, especially in direct comparison to "his" former racing series. "I think the problem with Formula 1 at the moment is we have got one person that is winning all the races," he explains.

"It's not good. I hope it doesn't happen with Formula E, but they can see different countries being represented, and winning races."

In the first four races of the Formula E season, there have been four different winners from four different teams. The fifth race of the season will take place in just a few days. The electric series will then stop in Japan for the first time in its history.