More add their voices to calls for Mosley to quit, with arguments that under-fire FIA President is doing 'serious damage' to F1 by refusing to step down over sex scandal revelations.
Three of Britain's foremost racing heroes have added their voices to those calling for Max Mosley to resign from his post as FIA President in the wake of the sex scandal revelations that have rocked the sport in recent weeks.
The 67-year-old last week lost his first court battle against the News of the World, after High Court judge Mr Justice Eady ruled against his request for an injunction that would have prevented the Sunday tabloid from re-instating a video on its website that it claims depicts his 'sick Nazi orgy with 5 hookers'. Now more and more of the sport's leading figures are claiming 'enough is enough'.
"None of us wants to be moralising about individuals, but there has to be an element here to do with the image of the sport, and the ability of the premier representative of the sport in the world to continue to engage with a politic concerned about values," acknowledged 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill in an interview with The Times, the British Racing Drivers' Club President having up until now kept a dignified silence on the matter.
"It's a practical issue, but it's also a marketing issue. Businesses connected with the sport want a positive image, and politicians want to engage with it because they know motorsport people support those values."
"He has obviously lost status," agreed 1959 vice-champion Tony Brooks, one of Britain's most respected drivers in the history of the top flight, "because while he denies any Nazi connotations, cavorting around with prostitutes in that manner is not something to be proud of.
"No doubt other people do it and don't get found out, but he has been, and in his position he needs to have status and image. I don't condemn his private practices - if he thinks what he was doing is alright, that's between him and his maker.
"Sexual perversion is something you don't judge these days, but his is a terribly important position, a prestigious position. To me he's dragging the sport into disrepute, and that can't be right."
"He has to think of racing instead of himself," insisted legendary five-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Derek Bell, "and stop being so damned selfish. This affair is doing serious damage. We've had enough crises in F1 over the past few years - we don't need any more.
"I understand him maintaining what went on was his own business and that it shouldn't have been publicised, but now that it has, a man in his position simply has to bow out gracefully, though that's hardly the right word. You just say, 'I apologise, I've had a wonderful run and that's it, goodbye'."
Mosley - currently embroiled in legal action for 'unlimited damages' against News Group Newspapers on the grounds of breach of privacy, with a five-day trial set to be held in July - is standing firm despite rapidly failing confidence in his ability to carry on at the top of the sport's world governing body. He has repeatedly refuted any 'Nazi connotations' to the role-playing involved, and insists what he does in his private life has no impact on his professional capabilities.
Both drivers and in particular manufacturers within the highest echelon, however - most prominently Mercedes-Benz and BMW, who issued a joint statement distancing themselves from Mosley, and Honda and Toyota, who underlined their distaste for the revelations - have condemned the president and argued he has to go for the sake of the sport.
The Bahraini Royal Family earlier this month told Mosley he would not be welcome in Sakhir for the grand prix held there. 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter - one of those most vociferous in his criticism over the past few weeks - said that was unlikely to be an isolated example, and slammed the FIA's rule of iron over media coverage of F1.
"I was invited by the prince," the British-domiciled South African recounted, "and he said he simply couldn't be seen in that situation. He won't be the only one, so it's impossible in these circumstances to understand how Mosley believes he is the best man to represent the sport.
"I was one of relatively few prepared to speak out because of the way F1 is run, which is very sad. The fact is people can't say what they like; there isn't freedom of the press within F1. I was just happy the British national newspapers came out and covered the story properly.
"The way it works in F1 is that if people say something the authorities don't like, their paddock pass doesn't work for a day, or they can't get a car pass or something. It's ridiculous, but when something is as big as this, you have to speak out. I was in Bahrain last week, and you'd be amazed at the number of people who came up to me and said 'Well done, we felt the same'."
Force India chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne, meanwhile, also joined in the chorus of disapproval of both Mosley's behaviour and his refusal to step down.
"If he wishes to stay it will devalue his office, which is obviously not good," the Englishman is quoted as having said in the News of the World. "I think any person in that position has to consider the impact of their actions."
There were more encouraging - if unexpected - words for the beleagured president, however, from the United Arab Emirates' automobile and touring club (IATC), with Mohammed ben Sulayem insisting that he is a 'full supporter' of the sanctity of a person's private life despite the Gulf region not being renowned for its moral liberality.
"I think [the scandal] has been used for the wrong reasons," the IATC president said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. "Surely he did not break the law. This is something that is allowed there. If someone wants to use this for the wrong reasons, it is not acceptable."
Abu Dhabi will join Bahrain as the second Middle Eastern country to host a grand prix from next year, and ben Sulayem stressed it was imperative not to lose sight of all the good Mosley has done for the sport since he took over the presidential role back in 1993.
"How fast can we forget what this man did for motorsport?" he urged. "Where it was and where it is now. We as members of the FIA elected him, and he did not commit anything that weakens the FIA."
The FIA Senate is due to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting at its Paris headquarters on 3 June, which will include a vote of confidence on Mosley's future.
