Jan.12 (GMM) A German weekly newsmagazine has linked the payment of an alleged $50 million bribe to a banker with a company founded by Bernie Ecclestone.

Last week, the F1 chief executive vowed to "fight it in the courts" if German publications continue to suggest he paid German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky the money as a kickback amid the sale of the sport's commercial rights five years ago.

Briton Ecclestone, 80, said the claims are "nonsense" because he had "nothing to do with these payments" to the BayernLB banker.

But it has emerged that the German magazine Stern in its latest edition on Thursday will link the payments to Gribkowsky with a company called Petara -- a word made up from the names of Ecclestone's daughters Petra and Tamara.

It is claimed that Gribkowsky's company GG Consulting was registered on 22 February 2006, a day after he was made a director of Petara.

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