Formula 1 kingpin, Bernie Ecclestone, sharply-suited Savile Row style, sits behind his desk in his souvenir-filled office of his London headquarters, isolated by his unchallenged power and privilege.
The subject of himself, his risk taking and his universally admired business acumen allied to a far-sightedness belying his often off-hand and feared attitude roll off his tongue with his familiar low-tone, almost whispered , delivery
He sighs at my reminders of the various furores that have invaded his being, particularly the fall from grace and suspension from F1 of his firmest friend and football business ally Flavio Briatore, the shamed ex-Renault boss, and says:" Many aspects of life are sent to try us and to test our patience and resolve, but I've been through enough traumas and dramas in my job not to let anything unnerve me or put me off what basically is a great sport.
"What happened with Flavio was awful and very wrong and he deserved to be punished, maybe not as severely as he has been, but we, and he, will overcome the setbacks and get on with the job of putting on a fabulous show for the fans worldwide and living our lives."
Strong resolve
The hour-to-hour demands on Ecclestone's time and his relentless round of Grand Prix activity, with wearying flights, often in one of his two private jets, to the far reaches of the globe, fail to shake his resolve to ensure that the show is paramount.
And this is where Abu Dhabi, all set to stage a nail-biter finale to one of the most thrilling Grand Prix championships of all time, brings a smile to his world-weary face.
"If only...if only...all the venues were as superb as Abu Dhabi I would be one happy man," he says.
"When I first mooted the idea to stage a Grand Prix there the reaction was instantaneous and uplifting and the feedback from the people behind the project gave me all the confidence I needed to give it my blessing."
"They built the circuit right on schedule and the facilities and attitude of everybody involved from the humblest helper to the top guys are absolutely first-class," he said.
"After last year's debut race there I just sat back and wallowed in all the compliments that were heaped on the place from people all over the world. It will, I am confident, be the same this time around."
"How long is their arrangement to hold a Grand Prix? For ever. For as long as they want it. That's how satisfied I am with the entire set-up. It could well have been Dubai's prerogative if a deal we tried to settle had come off a good few years back. But we couldn't come to terms."
Abu Dhabi, like Bahrain, Singapore, Korea and Russia to come, failed to blanch at the rumoured $40 million (Dh146.8 million) asking price for the Ecclestone blessing to run a Grand Prix.
Money is rarely distanced from treble-dollar-billionaire Ecclestone's vocabulary.
Driven by money
And the 79-year-old says: "I am well aware that I am regarded as hard, uncompromising and uncaring and that I am driven by money. I don't care."
"There are plenty of people in F1 who are very wealthy because of the way I am and my attitude to business and the sport. And they should be thankful for the positions I have taken, not always popular, over the years to give F1 an international profile.
"Sure, I have benefited personally, but so, too, have the teams I have put a lot back. A lot of effort. Between us we have a duty to be sure that F1 survives at all levels as an enhanced spectacle."
What about his seemingly endless run-ins with Silverstone as the venue for the British Grand Prix?
He has been heavily criticised for his stoic stance over Silverstone, the Second World War aerodrome and Midlands setting for the British Grand Prix and its annual gathering of 200,000 race week spectators.
But he has now managed to come to an agreement with Silverstone boss Damon Hill, the former F1 world champion, who pursued his demands with the sort of fervour Ecclestone himself employs.
And he says: "It's always been more like Gentlemen's Club, all blazers and badges and old-fashioned views and stranded in outdated tradition. It needed to be given a complete overhaul of its facilities and rendered fit for the fans who are so loyal and who have endured so much misery for too many years."
"But, before Damon, those who should have been be making the decisions seemed to be lost in a time-warp and not going anywhere. It reminded me of an annual village fete, amateurish and third rate."
"They should have been taking a good look at the circuits and set-ups in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. They are both state-of-the-art tracks that have been only too keen to please and make sure the spectators get great value for their ticket money."
"I have nothing but the highest praise for the people behind both venues. They have been absolutely brilliant, a total treat to deal with, and have achieved everything I have asked without a single word of disagreement," he said. "Unlike Silverstone who have dragged their feet for years. I used to get very frustrated, but it is the fans's interests I have at heart. And always will."
"It would be absolutely terrific if this season's championship does go all the way down the last race in Abu Dhabi. That would make for a fantastic finale and bring the curtain down on a fabulous show at a superb setting."