FIA PRESIDENT Max Mosley insists he will not be forced out of motorsport’s top job, despite pressure from the Formula One Teams Association.
After initially declaring he would stand down from office in the wake of the News of the World sex scandal, Mosley has now written a letter to national motorsport federations claiming he will consider standing for re-election in October.
Mosley said FOTA has no right to dictate and influence governance of motorsport around the world, stating the teams attack on his leadership is tantamount to a challenge to the entire FIA.
“Over recent weeks it has become increasingly clear that one of the objectives of the dissident teams is that I should resign as president of the FIA,” he wrote.
“Last year you offered me your confidence and, as I wrote to you on May 16, 2008, it was my intention not to seek re-election in October this year.
“However, in light of the attack on the mandate you have entrusted to me, I must now reflect on whether my original decision not to stand for re-election was indeed the right one.
“It is for the FIA membership, and the FIA membership alone, to decide on its democratically elected leadership, not the motor industry and still less the individuals the industry employs to run its Formula 1 teams.”
FIA boss Max Mosley.
Mosley also told FIA-aligned federations he doubts the manufacturers involved in the proposed FOTA championship possess the financial muscle necessary to launch a rival competition, reiterating his belief that independent outfits are the lifeblood of Formula 1.
“The catalyst for the current dispute was the FIA’s attempts to reduce costs in Formula 1. A reduction in costs is essential if the independent teams are to survive,” he said.
“Without the independent teams, the championship would depend entirely on the car manufacturers who, of course, have always come and gone as it suited them.
“It is extraordinary that at a time when all five manufacturers involved are in great financial difficulty and relying on taxpayers money, their Formula 1 teams should threaten a breakaway series in order to avoid reducing their Formula 1 costs.
“It remains to be seen whether the boards of the parent companies will allow precious resources to be wasted in this way.”
Mosley’s letter contradicts a recent statement he made when speaking to the BBC at the British Grand Prix, where the Briton said he was prepared to stand down to accelerate the peace process, if necessary.
However, he may not have a choice in the matter after a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) tonight where it is believed Ferrari and FOTA boss Luca di Montezemolo will implore the FIA to force Mosley out.
While the meeting was initially called to confirm the final entry list for the 2010 championship, it now appears the WMSC’s gathering could ultimately dictate the future of Formula 1 and potentially accelerate the launch of a breakaway series.
Loading ...
Comments
Click here to jump to Add Comment box
How do you get a picture next to your name?
Get a Gravatar. Click here to find out more.
This bloke needs to get over himself. No matter how much he might not like to admit it, F1 is nothing without Ferrari and teams like McLaren. Imposing restrictions to cap team spend to just 30% of what they currently spend and insisting they complete this change over the course of just one year is plain ridiculous.
F1 has become an utter joke. It’s supposed to be the premier class of motor racing, not some parity capped rubbish with fake passing because of regulation. Hells why not just make it a totally controlled series and provide the same chassis and same engines to everyone? Bullocks first they took away turbos, then adaptive dampers, then 3.5 litres (where we had a mixture of V8’s V12’s and V10’s) to 3.0 litres, now to 2.4 litters and must be a V8. That’s not top class racing that a dictatorship. I want to see top class being top class with the latest advancements in technology pushing the cars to go faster and faster. And will they stop sanitising some of the greatest tracks in the world. Yes the sport should be dangerous and part of being paid a massive pay cheque is the risk you can die. Its part and parcel of hi risk activity. It what makes most feel shit I can’t do that or I wouldn’t want to do that. I can’t stand what formula one has become. Senna is my al time favourite steerer. But even he wouldn’t like seeing what the sport has turned into after his death (and some will say the knee jerk reaction after his death). Unlimited regulations, fastest cars going flat out with the bravest drivers. And f#ck it as long as tobacco is a legal substance they should allow advertising, if countries don’t like it, stick it give it to a country that will allow it. Rules should be simple like minimum weight of the car, minimum and maximum dimensions, and tyre size. The only thing I would ban is these ugly little fricken winglets that have destroyed the cars appearance over the years making them look like something that was vomited out of a nuclear fire. Two wings only allowed 1 on the nose of the car and one on the rear. That’s it. Underbody is free to go crazy with. I want to see the tyre war back none of this controlled tyre rubbish. No safety car rubbish either, they did without a safety car for years, they can do it again. Liven the sport up a bit where people will watch in awe of the machines and the people who try to tame them. I couldn’t give a toss who wins as long as the machines are at the forefront of motor racing. Sick of them trying to slow the sport down year after year. I look forward to the major manufacturers breaking away and ending dictator Ecclestone and Mosley’s reign!
I agree with the comments above and I see it as a drive by Moseley and co to destroy the UK expertise and influence in engineering to make the cars so simple I could enter my 406 diesel. The nacars drive faster than the F! cars which in itself makes F! a bit of a joke when ot comes to true racing.
The F1 should be like any other sport where the best man (teams) win and not a situation where the magic of the incredible feats to make the cars go faster even when new rules are put in by the FIA to slow them down.
If the FIA have their way they would treat the F1 teams where an example would be, like Bolt running the 100 meters with a 30 kilos
weight on his shoulders so that a slower runner could win
Lets hope the teams break away as they jave my support long with many other fans.
Paul