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F1: Mosley Threatens To Derail Peace Deal Over ‘Dictator’ Jibe

FORMULA 1 IS IN DANGER of again descending into chaos after FIA President Max Mosley refused to rule out standing for re-election in response to claims FOTA has deceived the media.
Mosley said FOTA has deliberately misrepresented the terms of the peace d


FORMULA 1 IS IN DANGER of again descending into chaos after FIA President Max Mosley refused to rule out standing for re-election in response to claims FOTA has deceived the media.

Mosley said FOTA has deliberately misrepresented the terms of the peace deal by claiming he will no longer be involved in affairs concerning Formula 1, while positioning itself as victor in the six-month long saga.

"We made a deal yesterday in Paris to end the recent difficulties in Formula 1,” he said. “A fundamental part of this was that we would both present a positive and truthful account to the media.

"I was therefore astonished to learn that FOTA has been briefing the press that Mr (Michel) Boeri (FIA Senate President) has taken charge of Formula 1, something which you know is completely untrue; that I had been forced out of office, also false; and, apparently, that I would have no role in the FIA after October, something which is plain nonsense, if only because of the FIA statutes.”

The Briton said that as a result of FOTA’s recent comments, he has no option but to reconsider his stance, threatening to derail the agreement which had seemingly saved the sport from a potentially lethal civil war.

FOTA’s only hope of reviving the deal is to issue an apology, retracting recent statements made to the media, according to Mosley.

"If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you and FOTA must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements,” he said.

"You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology at your press conference this afternoon.”

[caption id="attachment_30568" align="aligncenter" width="555" caption="FIA boss Max Mosley."][/caption]

The 69-year old took particular offense to comments made by Ferrari and FOTA boss Luca di Montezemolo, who derided Mosley as a dictator and said it was important the sport was run democratically.

“To us three things were most important – that F1 stay F1 and not become F3; that there is no dictator, but that there is a choice of rules, agreed and not imposed; and that whoever has a team is consulted and has a voice. Now, finally, we have stability of the regulations until 2013,” he said.

“Mosley has announced that in October he will stand down, with an irrevocable decision, and that from now on he won't get involved in F1. Could Mosley change his mind? He can, yes, but we won't.”

FOTA’s last minute deal with the FIA was reportedly orchestrated by F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone, who was entrusted by CVC Capital Partners with the role of repairing the seemingly irrevocable split between Mosley and the teams.

And while Ecclestone has long been considered an ally and close friend of the FIA President, the Times of London says it was essentially his move to back the teams which forced Mosley out of office.

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