Formula 1 | Villeneuve, Stroll Sr, Briatore, Ecclestone … cited in the Pandora Papers

Several Formula 1 figures have been implicated in a huge new leak of secret and questionable offshore tax arrangements among some of the world’s wealthiest elites.

Known as the Pandora Papers, it is believed to be the biggest offshore financial data breach, with the press revealing that Aston Martin owner billionaire Lawrence Stroll is involved.

The 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve also sees his name among the millions of documents disclosed to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and shared with hundreds of journalists and agencies around the world.

CBC and the Toronto Star say Stroll, whose son Lance drives for his UK-based F1 team, has a 15% stake in a British Virgin Islands company called Superwit.

Superwit is said to be run by a Stroll family trust called the Polo Trust, which is registered in another tax haven in Liechtenstein.

As for Villeneuve, who is now a commentator for French television, he would have received his salaries and his sponsorship in F1 via tax havens to minimize his taxes.

La Sexta and El Pais have revealed that former Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone were also involved.