F1 supremo Bernie faces £1bn divorce

His wife Slavica, 50, was granted a “quickie” divorce on the grounds of her 78-year-old husband’s “unreasonable behaviour”.

The ruling, at London’s High Court, paves the way for her to win a huge chunk of the motor racing tycoon’s £2.4billion fortune.

Legal experts believe that after 24 years of marriage, 6ft 2in former model Slavica, who towers above the 5ft 4in billionaire, could even be entitled to half his wealth.

The £1.2billion payout would dwarf the £50million awarded to Guy Ritchie after his divorce from Madonna and the £24million Sir Paul McCartney gave his wife Heather.

It would even climb above the £1billion which Anne-Marie Graff, wife of British diamond dealer Laurence Graff, might get when their divorce – adjourned in court last week – is finalised.

Mr Ecclestone’s marriage came to an end in 58 seconds when the High Court’s Family Division granted Slavica a decree nisi.

The Croatian-born former Armani model is reported to have been unhappy because his workaholic lifestyle meant that they spent too much time apart.

The couple, who married at Kensington and Chelsea register office in 1985, have two daughters

Tamara, 24, and Petra , 19. They have a jet and a yacht named after the girls. Neither party attended the divorce hearing, but court documents laid bare the reasons why Slavica had sought a separation.

In a question-and-answer divorce document before the court, Mrs Ecclestone, who now lives at Chelsea Harbour, said that her husband’s behaviour “has caused me stress and anxiety”.

Asked if the behaviour was continuing, she answered: “No.”

Mr Ecclestone did not defend the petition.

The district judge held that Mr Ecclestone had “behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with the respondent”.

He said that the marriage had “broken down irretrievably”.

As well as their Chelsea Square home, still occupied by Mr Ecclestone, the couple own a hotel in Switzerland. Much of his wealth is thought to be in her name for tax reasons.

Mr Ecclestone has hired solicitor Helen Ward, who last year won Britain’s biggest divorce settlement in similar circumstances.

Miss Ward won a payout of £48million for Beverly Charman, former wife of insurance tycoon John Charman. Much of the couple’s money was held in offshore trusts.

Mrs Ecclestone has instructed Liz Vernon, who secured a ground-breaking divorce for former Arsenal footballer Ray Parlour’s wife, Karen, which obliged the player to pay a huge lump sum, plus a third of his future earnings.