Mosley holds the key over sport split

Eurosport - Fri, 19 Jun 20:46:00 2009

Motor racing chief Max Mosley holds the key to whether Formula One stays intact or splits into rival series, senior figures in the sport have said.

FORMULA 1 2008-2009 Max Mosley - 0

"The fat lady hasn't sung yet," triple world champion Jackie Stewart said, while at the British Grand Prix.

"The Formula One Teams Association have made a decision that they cannot go on with the governance in its present form.

"If there is room for further discussion and the governance backs off from some of its insistencies, it may well be that they can come together under a new set of managements," added the Scot.

"But I think the trouble is that Max has gone too far with this and the teams have suddenly said 'I'm sorry, we can't take it any more'.

"It may well be that Max Mosley (pictured) has to go."

A standoff between FIA president Mosley and the eight FOTA teams came to a head when FOTA announced they were preparing to set up their own championship.

That raised the real prospect of a split similar to the one that divided open wheel racing in the United States until recently.

Mosley's term of office expires in October and the Briton, who was caught in a sado-masochistic sex scandal last year and recently suffered the death of his son, has yet to declare whether he intends to stand for re-election.

The FIA's response to FOTA's statement showed no sign of any softening in its position, with the governing body saying it would announce a new entry list for its championship.

"It's really now in the hands of the FIA," said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who was not overly optimistic of a happy outcome.

"The positions have hardened on both sides. The teams feel they have gone as far as they can, and the FIA feel they have gone as far as they can, and we've ended up in a situation where a solution hasn't been found."

Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone shrugged off questions about the sport's future when he arrived at Silverstone.

"No idea; Speak to Max," the 78-year-old said.

Nick Fry, chief executive of championship leaders Brawn GP, hoped discussions with the FIA could continue.

"The ball is in Max Mosley's court," he told BBC radio.

Stewart, who has long been a thorn in Mosley's side, felt he was not alone in wanting a change at the top of the governing body and referred back to a record fine imposed on McLaren for having Ferrari data in their possession in 2007.

"I think they (the teams) do want Max to go because frankly some of the decisions made over the years have been very questionable," he said.

"For example, a $100 million (£60.8m) fine on McLaren for something that was never proven. Never in the history of sport has such an amount of money been levied by a sporting authority. And that was something that he drove.

"I think a lot of people are kind of fed up with the dictatorial attitude. He has a great position of power but big trees do blow over."

Reuters

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  1. Mosley is Captain Queeg!!!! I'm convinced of it­ now. Listen...he has no friends, rules with an iron­ fist, his peers don't trust him and don't like­ him, he tries to relive his glory past, he makes­ horrible tragic decisions and blames others, he's a­ coward and doesn't see things through, believes­ that everyone is out to get him, believes he and he­ alone knows the answer to the problem and will stop at­ nothing to find it even though he is told there is no­ problem. Mutiny on the Caine...I mean...in Formula­ 1!!!!

    From gegaard, on Sat 20 Jun 7:24AM

  2. Which fat lady would that be JS?

    From Ellie, on Sat 20 Jun 5:58AM

  3. Max will NEVER do the right thing and retire, he will­ have to be forced out. There has to be some reasonable­ people in the FIA that are will to stand up to him.­ People like him never sacrifice themselves only others.­ Neither Saddam Hussein or Slobodan Milosevic killed­ themselves when they knew it was over. They sacrifice­ others but are too cowardly do hold themselves to the­ same standard.

    Bernie is such a snake there is talk he­ may jump ship and join FOTA, after all he always only­ goes where the money is. FOTA to get away from both and­ start over, that is the only way to get out of some of­ the insanely expensive contracts Bernie has in place.­ Those tracks we all dislike in places with very few­ actual fans have long term contracts and the tracks we­ love cannot afford to host a race under Bernie's­ fee structure. The only solution is to start fresh and­ it at least sounds like the teams want the same type of­ series we the fans want. I just hope the go though with­ it and don't reach a "compromise" with­ the FIA as they will lose in the long run.

    From chris_s, on Sat 20 Jun 4:47AM

  4. Dear Mr. Max:
    You are embarrassing yourself and­ embarrassing your country; you are a clown.­ Defenestration is the only way to go. So, GO NOW. It`s­ your chance to go with some "dignity". Let­ cleverer people take your place, find a nice cabin in­ the woods ('Schwarzwald' rings some bells?) and­ lock yourself in with your Luger in your hand. Whatever­ you do next is none of my business. Actually, is NoBOdy­ in the WORLD's business...

    From fj_hc, on Sat 20 Jun 3:39AM

  5. If Bernie made a comment "talk to Max", then­ he should go. Why should the teams pay him so much­ money if he won't even speak out for them. The­ little Dwarf have no balls, trying to shrug it off and­ keep a distance to save his own @#$%.

    From ????, on Sat 20 Jun 2:53AM

  6. If Bernie made a comment "ask Max", then he­ should go. Why should the teams pay him so much money­ if he won't even speak out for them. The little­ Dwarf have no balls, trying to shrug it off and keep a­ distance to save his own @#$%.

    From ????, on Sat 20 Jun 2:52AM

  7. ENOUGH!! "Mosley holds the key........" He­ should not even be allowed to hold the key to his own­ front door! Lock him in a dungeon & throw away the­ key! (Oh sorry, he'd probably enjoy that.) ­ Seriously though, how much more damage can he be­ allowed to do to the sport of F1?

    From Alan P, on Sat 20 Jun 2:14AM

  8. JOHN B No way anybody but RD if he is in charge we will­ just have another dictator & a 1 team compertition

    From mark, on Sat 20 Jun 1:31AM

  9. Ah!... so like a large boil it has come to a head.Max­ was swamped by TV reporters and papparazzi, and he­ should have given an interview or not turned up.Surely­ by now even with his thick skin he must feel it is time­ to 4uck off.
    It is the best thing he could do for the­ sport (although i fear he doesn't really give a­ 2hit), and on the way out he should invite Bernie to­ share the taxi.
    It is bad enough watching the last­ British GP at Silverstone, but this debacle should not­ allow once again to piss off the FOTA and the paying­ public.
    Come on J Y S nows your chance to put things­ right.I would vote for you!

    From justblowinoffsteam., on Sat 20 Jun 1:26AM

  10. Max will be gone by next week.

    From Tempoe, on Sat 20 Jun 1:23AM

  11. I,ve had a great idea, lets have Ron Dennis as the new­ boss of the new F1 circus. I love that man.......

    From john, on Sat 20 Jun 1:21AM

  12. Dear Max,
    Don't let the door hit you in the arse­ on the way out (you'd enjoy that far too much). Get­ out now!

    From FM LLC, on Sat 20 Jun 1:07AM

  13. Max will be forced out by Bernie within the next 48­ hours especially when the legal boys tell Max he cannot­ do what he is wanting to do. Whilst I think the idea of­ capping has many benefits - it is not something to be­ imposed willy nilly tomorrow morning at the whim of­ Max. Additionally FIA now must advise where all the­ bread has gone, we know they got the jam, but where is­ the bread

    From Rob, on Sat 20 Jun 1:01AM

  14. Mosley - GET OUT NOW! Maybe, just maybe without him­ the sport(?) can recover.

    From phil.robinson46, on Sat 20 Jun 12:52AM

  15. max stop acting a @#$% and resign now, let F1 go back­ to the teams and most of all let the millions of fans­ around the world watch there beloved F1and bernie if­ you read these, sort this @#$% out

    From raginape, on Fri 19 Jun 11:32PM

  16. Max IS the key, the key to everything going wrong in F1

    From duncan, on Fri 19 Jun 11:26PM

  17. he has to go

    From lindadipple, on Fri 19 Jun 11:09PM

  18. well as an f1 fan 4 30yrs, now hope it all goes down­ the drain... its boring, no overtaking, all the cars­ are mirror images of each nother, you could paint a red­ bull red and call it a ferrari.... so much secrecy ­ more than mi5. hope it all goes down the pan .. i for­ one wont shed a tear !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From adrian, on Fri 19 Jun 11:04PM

  19. go an vist your son mad max. wonder if ron dennis would­ be good in his place
    from fern

    From bevabdy2250, on Fri 19 Jun 10:50PM

  20. I know this may sound realy bad, but he should follow­ his son...
    Just go Max, Bernie you can follow him too.

    From patrik, on Fri 19 Jun 10:40PM
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