Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone to hand sport over to Sacha Woodward-Hill as he fights criminal charges in Munich court

• Sacha Woodward-Hill, 44, is Bernie Ecclestone's chief legal officer
  
• Ecclestone is due to face criminal charges in Munich court on Thursday
  
• Woodward-Hill is said to have a 'laser-like mind' and trusted by Ecclestone
  
• Ecclestone could face up to 10 years in jail if he is found guilty in Germany

By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:01 EST, 19 April 2014 | Updated: 02:03 EST, 20 April 2014

Bernie Ecclestone will hand over the keys to his Formula One empire to a glamorous female lawyer while he fights criminal charges in Germany.

Ecclestone is due to appear in a Munich court this Thursday at the start of a four-month trial on charges of bribing the disgraced banker Gerhard Gribkowsky in the sale of the sport to the current owners, CVC, in 2005.

Although the court will sit for just two days a week, Ecclestone will rely on Sacha Woodward-Hill, his chief legal officer who is little-known beyond the terraced walls of his offices in Kensington.

Woodward-Hill, 44, was at Ecclestone's side when he recently appeared in a civil case in London, dressed in a series of immaculate business suits.

She has been involved in every major deal of recent years and holds 17 directorships in Formula One-connected businesses that have combined assets of more than £4billion.

Woodward-Hill is said to have a 'laser-like mind' and is implicitly trusted by Ecclestone.

'He will rely on her more than ever while the court stuff is going on,' said one well-placed insider. 'She'll be Bernie's rock.'

How Formula One will be run in the post-Ecclestone era remains uncertain. He has spoken of Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner as a possible successor, though last year he said: 'Why not a woman?

'I believe that women generally don't have such big egos and they don't need to go and play golf to close deals. They simply work harder to get the same recognition as men and, because their ego is less important, they are also less emotional in making decisions.'

Finding a replacement for Ecclestone will become an immediate concern if he is found guilty in Germany. He could face up to 10 years in jail.

Even if he were to escape with a multi-million pound fine, he would have to relinquish his position in accordance with European law.

Ecclestone, who denies all wrongdoing, has missed this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix to prepare for the trial.