London, July 9 : Formula One head Bernie Ecclestone has for his support of Adolf Hitler's style of functioning saying he was an "idiot" to discuss Hitler or Saddam Hussein.

Ecclestone apologised through a German tabloid saying: "I''m sorry. I apologise honestly and sincerely, not just superficially."

"I would never support such people. I should never have been so foolish as to have been drawn into discussing these people but the fault was entirely mine, which I deeply regret," he added.

Ecclestone had made the remark in an interview published in The Times, in which he also criticised the removal of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, The Telegraph reports.

In another article in The Times, Ecclestone had attempted to clarify his Hitler statement, saying that: "During the 1930s, Germany was facing an economic crisis but Hitler was able to rebuild the economy, building the autobahns and German industry."

"That was all I meant when I referred to him getting things done. I''m an admirer of good leadership, of politicians who stand by their convictions and tell the voters the truth. I''m not an admirer of dictators, who rule by terror," he added. (ANI)