Weekends with Bernie a little pricey

If you have a Formula One racing fan on your Christmas list who seems to have it all, allow us to present The Official Formula One Opus Bernie Edition from Opus Media.

But be warned: There are books, then there is this one. And it’s not cheap.

First, there is the book, which is 852 pages and weighs 81 1/2 pounds. It includes a detailed history of F1 racing as well as dazzling photography, and Opus Media is letting it go for a steal - $3,200 for the “classic” edition and $32,000 for the “champions” edition.

That’s chump change, compared to The Bernie.

Named for Bernie Ecclestone, who manages - along with his companies - the administration, setup and logistics of each Formula One race, it is expected to be purchased for approximately $1 million in an auction next month.

No kidding. Three bids have already been secured.

There are 1,500 copies each of the “classic” and “champions” edition, but there is only one Bernie.

For starters, it comes with its own carbon-fiber case. It also has a signature sheet bearing the autographs of Ecclestone and all 22 living Formula One champions, which took more than two years for the publishers to collect.

Then there are tickets to all 22 of the 2014 Formula One events, starting at Melbourne, Australia, in March and concluding at Sao Paulo, Brazil, in November. In all, the circuit visits five continents.

The package will have four tickets for each event, which includes the coveted “red ticket,” Paddock Club access for all three days at each race, as well as pit access during the approved periods.

For each event, there will be an “informal meeting” as well as “a cup of tea” with Eccelstone in his private motorcoach. Entry to special F1 events, such as the FIA ball, is included, as well as a private dinner with Eccelstone at a race weekend to be determined.

So far, there have been bids delivered from a banking entity, a hedge fund and a Russian investment company, according to Karl Fowler, chief executive officer of Opus Media.

“This book gives you the opportunity to experience F1 like never before,” Fowler told CNN.

“You can go to every single race, take in all three days, go into the paddock, have a drink and see the drivers. You’ll get to spend time with Mr. Eccelstone and have a sporting experience you couldn’t get anywhere else.

To make a bid, visit www.thisisopus.com/thebernie.

Better hurry, though. Bidding closes Dec. 24.

Blasted kids

Children as young as 8 years old have smuggled pyrotechnics into stadiums for use by adults, according to a study by English soccer authorities that shows the use of flares and smoke bombs is on the rise.

The Premier League and other English soccer groups have launched a campaign about the danger of pyrotechnics, with 86 percent of supporters surveyed saying they were concerned for their safety at matches.

Figures show that while there were only eight incidents of pyrotechnic use in the 2010-2011 season across the English leagues and cup competitions, the number rose to 172 in the 2012-2013 season. There were 96 incidents between August and October this season.

During a Premier League match between Aston Villa and Tottenham on Oct. 20, a linesman was struck by a lit smoke canister thrown from the stand.

Quote of the day

“Certainly we want Gus to be here at Auburn as long as he wants to be.” Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs on the school’s plans to discuss a new contract for Coach Gus Malzahn

Sports, Pages 20 on 12/04/2013