Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone admitted it was "business as usual" after Max Mosley today won a vote of confidence to remain as FIA president.

Ecclestone's own plea to a man he has known for 40 years to step down later this year after organising a successor ultimately fell on deaf ears as Mosley belligerently stood firm.

His stance was rewarded as 61% of those who voted - 103 of the 169 who took part in the secret ballot in Paris - agreed he should see out his mandate that ends in October 2009.

However, Mosley's defiance could now lead to a split within the FIA as a number of leading motoring associations were angered at seeing the 68-year-old win the day.

As far as Ecclestone is concerned, that is now a matter for the FIA and Mosley to contend with, because for the 77-year-old the pressure is no longer on his shoulders.

"I'm happy," remarked Ecclestone when asked by PA Sport for his feelings on the outcome.

"The one thing I didn't want to happen, the last thing I wanted, was for Max to go today.

"Up until now, I've asked him a million times to stand down at the end of November.

"Before all of this he has said to me many times he's had enough, that he wanted to get out and do other things in his life.

"But today he got what he wanted. He is still there and that's it.

"I have been under an awful lot of pressure from people saying to me that Max cannot represent us (F1), that he shouldn't represent us.

"They have said we shouldn't support him and that I should get him to try and resign, well, I am no longer in that position."

However, Mosley is now being viewed as a lame-duck president, a man still in office, but with authoritative figures unlikely to be willing to conduct business with him.

Since the News of the World published lurid revelations into his private life, Mosley has shied away from public office and been snubbed by royalty in Bahrain, Spain and Monaco.

Mosley has been forced to conduct his affairs behind the scenes, leaving official duties to his two deputies, Marco Piccinini and Franco Lucchese.

That is likely to remain the way forward, although there is a far bigger picture for Ecclestone and Formula One to consider.

"We are in a position where nobody quite knows what will happen," added Ecclestone, who is F1's commercial rights holder.

"All those who said things in the past, I don't imagine they are going to change their opinion now. They won't feel differently to the way they felt before.

"So it's going to be difficult for him to act as president of the FIA if the people who said before they don't want to meet with him maintain that position."

Significantly, Ecclestone added: "I hope it hasn't destabilised sponsors or manufacturers."

With regard to dealing with Mosley, who made it clear before the hearing he was in a disagreement with Ecclestone as to the commercial future of Formula One, the latter said: "It's business as usual.

"I don't have any problems. We have a contract with the FIA.

"We bought the rights (for F1) for

350million and we are about to sign a new commercial agreement.

"We expect the FIA to respect that, just as we would honour the contract with them."

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