Vatanen to stand against Mosley

Eurosport - Sat, 11 Jul 15:00:00 2009

Former World Rally champion Ari Vatanen has announced he will stand in October to become president of the FIA.

FORMULA 1 2009 Season 2009 Ari Vatanen - 0

The decision will pit the Finn against Max Mosley, should the controversial 69-year-old Briton decide to seek a fifth term in office.

"Responding to requests from many FIA member clubs, I shall stand for presidential elections of the FIA in October this year," Vatanen said in a statement. "I think the time has come for a change.

"My main focus is to reconcile views within the FIA and bring transparency to its stakeholders."

Mosley, who survived calls for his resignation after a sadomasochistic sex scandal last year, has been FIA president for the past 16 years.

He said last month that he would stand down as part of a peace deal with Formula One teams threatening a breakaway championship.

However, Mosley has since suggested that he could reconsider after accusing Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo of calling him a dictator and the teams of prematurely dancing on his grave.

He has also warned that the FIA's independence is under attack, with the carmakers seeking to diminish the body's role as defenders of motorists in general, and needed a strong president.

The FIA is F1's governing body as well as overseeing the World Rally Championship and other global competitions.

It groups 219 member clubs from 130 countries on five continents.

Vatanen, 57, was the winner of the WRC title in 1981 with future Benetton and BAR F1 team boss David Richards, now chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, as his co-driver.

The Finn was a member of the European Parliament from 1999 until this year.

Vatanen faces numerous hurdles if he is to have a real chance of winning the election, however. Under FIA rules, a candidate must name a 22-member 'cabinet' who will serve as his administration.

The cabinet must include a president of the senate, a deputy president for sport, a deputy president for automobile mobility and tourism, five members of the senate, seven vice-presidents of the FIA for sport and seven vice-presidents of the FIA for automobile mobility and tourism.

The naming of such a list is designed to ensure a candidate has broad support and is not just hoping to capitalise on an incumbent's unpopularity.

Reuters

Comment 19 - 38 of 38

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  1. marnio from chilly. you an littlelee need ta join AA

    From Francis S, on Sat 11 Jul 3:51PM

  2. tag2811, 1998.

    After Vatanen talking to the press­ during quali coverage, Mosley will show his true­ pettiness if he makes one of his ever so slightly­ veiled public digs at the man's ability to do the­ job.

    Not that we needed the proof, but how long­ somebody until we see a statement or comments from­ Spanky doing just that? Two days tops?

    From spunky_the_rabbit, on Sat 11 Jul 2:45PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    does anyone else remember when Schumacher won a race in­ the pit lane? I think it was Silverstone but can't­ remember which year.

    From tag2811, on Sat 11 Jul 2:02PM

  4. south shields brooks sister do i wanna see you with the­ Newcastle Rugby team? No. What I would like is you­ and the Great Britain Synchronised swimming team. NO­ blokes.

    From Shadow, on Sat 11 Jul 12:51PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ari for victory
    what a celebration for a genuine real­ knowledgable F 1 participant to consult

    From pitcrew66, on Sat 11 Jul 12:32PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The same ol juvenile drivle posted by the same­­ anuse*s...
    Im not surprised F1 is in a shambles with­­ you pillox as supporters,
    why dont you go scrub some­­ public toilets or sumink.

    From doogiederbert, on Sat 11 Jul 11:24AM

  7. At last; a possible president who actually knows about­ the sport from a competitor's point of view. Is it­ possible...?

    From j.clark440, on Sat 11 Jul 11:10AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Why do the rules sound like the same dictation MM tried­ with FOTA? Did he and Bernie hav anything to do with­ writing them,,, It does not matter, the FIA member­ Clubs are run by intellegent men, who have also watched­ MM & Bernie run all of motorsport inro the ground­ with the recent quotes from both, Maybe this is the­ year both of them are done in by their own egos,,,

    From jhbulldogboy, on Sat 11 Jul 6:52AM

  9. CONTINUED, FAR SMARTER AND KNEW MORE OF FI THAN NAUGHTY­ MAD MAX.

    From David, on Sat 11 Jul 5:37AM

  10. HELLO MY LITTLE F1 BUDDIES THIS IS YOUR TRUE AND DEAR­ FRIEND AND BROTHER IN ARMS MARINARO4 FROM CHILE, AND­ WHAT NIGHT I AM HAVING TONIGHT I HAVE DRUNK TWO BOTTLES­ OF SCOTCH AND A BOTTLE OF WHISKY, AND S=H=I=T I AM­ P=I=S=S=E=D. I HAVEN'T BEEN P=I=S=S=E=D LIKE THIS­ SINCE LAST YEAR WHEN I CELEBRATED WITH ALL MY FAMILY­ WHEN MR HAMILTON'S SON WON THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP,­ AND I CERTAINLY GOT P=I=S=S=E=D THAT NIGHT. SO MY DEAR­ FRIENDS MY DEAR WIFE IS WRITTING THIS POST FOR ME NOW,­ BECAUSE SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN UNDERSTAND ME NOW.­ OH S=H=I=T WHAT IS THIS ARTICAL ABOUT...OH BURRRRRRP,­ EXCUSE ME. NAUGHTY MAD MAX, AND WHAT A LITTLE­ B=A=S=T=A=R=D HE IS, JUST LIKE MY NAUGHTY LITTLE NEPHEW­ MARNIO FROM PERU, AND WHAT A LITTLE S=H=I=T HE IS. THE­ TRUTH IS HERE MAD MAX IS NOT CAPABLE OF MAKING THE­ RIGHT DECISIONS IN THE ESCORT BUSINESS, WHICH IS A­ FIELD HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN. SO HOW COULD THIS­ LITTLE S=H=I=T BE EXPECTED TO BE THE BEST PERSON FOR­ THE ROLE AS THE FIA, THE WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL. MR­ BEAN WOULD DO A BETTER JOB THAN MAD MAX, AND EVEN­ GEORGE W BUSH JNR WOULD DO A BETTER JOB THAN MAD MAX.­ ONE WEEK I TRAVELLED BY BOAT TO ANTARTICA, AND ONE­ NIGHT I GOT SO P=I=S=S=E=D I WALKED OUT IN THE FREEZING­ COLD AND WALKED ALONG FOR A WHILE AND SPOKE TO SOMEONE­ WHO WAS WEARING A BLACK AND WHITE FUR COAT, THE PERSON­ WAS FAT AND WALKED AS IF HE WAS BUSTING TO DO A­ P=I=S=S. AND AS I SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT F1, HE SEEMED TO­ BE QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE TOPIC AND SPOKE ABOUT­ BEING IS HARMONY AS ONE GROUP AND WORKING TOGETHER,­ WITH NO ONE DOMINATING THE OTHER. THE PERSON TOLD ME­ THAT YOU NEED TO STAY TOGETHER AND VERY CLOSE DURING­ THE BLIZZARDS THAT COME YOUR WAY. AND THAT IT WAS­ IMPORTANT TO BE WARM TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER. THEN TO MY­ AMAZEMENT THE PERSON THEN DIVED INTO THE FREEZING COLD­ WATER AND WENT FOR A SWIM. I NEVER SAW THAT PERSON­ SINCE. AND MY DEAR FRIENDS I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THAT­ PERSON WAS MORE QUAILIFIED THAN MAD MAX TO RUN THE FIA,­ FAR SMARTER AND KNEW MORE O

    From David, on Sat 11 Jul 5:02AM

  11. I am looking foreward to the 16 races between Bernie­ and Max all in Bulgaria next year.

    From Andreas, on Sat 11 Jul 12:27AM

  12. No contest then.

    From Only Human After All, on Fri 10 Jul 10:57PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The same ol juvenile drivle posted by the same­ anuse*s...
    Im not surprised F1 is in a shambles with­ you pillox as supporters,
    why dont you go scrub some­ public toilets or sumink.

    From ,...,, on Fri 10 Jul 10:56PM

  14. Yes - Ari for President. Oh and duck off Potter!

    From markrose260, on Fri 10 Jul 10:55PM

  15. I hope that Ari gets the job and things get back to­ normal, But still Eccelstone its also you next i hope.­ But lets see who gets elected at the end of the season,­ and mad max retires som where in the Channel ilse.

    From Peter, on Fri 10 Jul 8:13PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Even if a Dog stand against Mosley the Dog should win. ­ Fu-k off Mosley you Nazi Pervert.

    From , on Fri 10 Jul 8:04PM

  17. Yes HELEN,us girls need something that's easy on­ the eye and hot in bed.Not a pair of wrinkle's­ after all you can only fake so much.
    .
    Shadow,­
    Pictures! or would you like the uncut video of me and­ the Newcastle rugby team?.

    From south shields brooks sister, on Fri 10 Jul 7:47PM

  18. I have just read the post from south shields brooks­ sister and all I can say is:

    HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­ luvly jubbly

    Can you please send me your picture­ lovely lady.

    From Shadow, on Fri 10 Jul 7:33PM

  19. Anyone know what happened to Kwjibo, I know he was a­ stupid @rsehole but I do miss him. NOT.

    From John Maynard Keynes, on Fri 10 Jul 7:30PM

  20. south shields brooks sister, for us girls we need Ari­ with Damon!!

    From Ellie, on Fri 10 Jul 6:56PM
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