Billionaire F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone has taken a spending pitstop – for lockdown.
Petra, who is worth at least £230million, says she is on a massive cost-cutting spree while in isolation.
The 31-year-old revealed her fiancé Sam Palmer, a former electrician, has been looking at ways to save money.
Petra – who collects £10,000 Hermes Birkin bags for a hobby – says he’s been “going through our home restructuring and saving us money”, adding: “Cost-cutting is his passion/obsession.”
Petra has been engaged to Sam since New Year’s Eve 2018.
Asked in a web Q&A for his best trait, she replied: “Doesn’t give a s**t about money.”
Petra spent £12million on a wedding to art dealer James Stunt in 2011 only to shell out £16million six years later in a divorce settlement.
Sam, 36, who comes from Harlow, Essex, where his mother runs a beauty parlour, has held a series of jobs from electrician to car salesman.
But now he lives with Petra, her three children by Stunt, and their new daughter plus a crew of staff in a sprawling mansion in Los Angeles.
In December the socialite put her Chelsea mansion up for sale for more than £100million after her sister Tamara’s home in Kensington was raided and £50million worth of jewels stolen.
Philanthropist Petra flogged her previous LA mansion for £95million last year.
Asked why she sold the 14-bedroom estate, once owned by TV magnate Aaron Spelling, Petra told fans: “Was offered a great deal and wanted to start fresh. We couldn’t be happier.”
But Petra hinted she was missing its space and lavishness, adding: “During lockdown it would have been the perfect place.”
Petra and her family moved to a new LA home but has kept tight-lipped about the name of her new daughter.
She is already mother to Lavinia, seven, and twins James and Robert, four, from her marriage to Stunt.
Her gold tycoon ex was declared bankrupt last year and evicted from a £12million house in Belgravia, London, last month following an art forgery scandal when a £20million Monet he had valued turned out to be fake.
Petra’s dad Bernie is looking forward to becoming a father again this summer – aged 89.
He is expecting a baby with wife Fabiana Flosi, 44, but said age makes no difference: “You’ve got the same problems I suppose.”
Petra’s representative said she and sister Tamara are “very happy for them”.
