Max Mosley has won a vote of confidence to remain as president of motor sport s governing body, the FIA. Mosley won a clear majority with 103 votes to 55 at the extraordinary meeting and will remain as president of the FIA. There were seven abstentions and four invalid votes counted during the secret ballot.
A statement from the FIA reads:
“During the Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) held in Paris today, the FIA Member Clubs voted on a motion of confidence in the FIA President.
The FIA membership voted as follows:
For the motion: 103
Against the motion: 55
Abstentions: 7
Invalid votes 4
Voting in the EGA was made by secret ballot. Votes were counted in private by the FIA legal department in the presence of four scrutineers, selected by the EGA from a list of Delegates proposed by the Chairman of the meeting (the President of the FIA Senate).
The entire voting procedure was supervised by an external Huissier de Justice (French state-appointed public witness).
Paris, 3 June, 2008â€
Initial reaction to the vote has been mixed with several delegates expressing their displeasure at the outcome. US delegate Robert Darbelnet has said he is disappointed at the voting outcome and is considering withdrawing his country s membership. Darbelnet has also said that the result may cause a rift within motor sport and lead to a breakaway from the FIA.
“We should not rush judgement on this but one of the potential ramifications is the division or a split from the organisation that might, in fact, provide an opportunity for like-minded clubs to find a representative body in a different form,†Darbelnet explained.
Countries siding with Darbelnet s vote include America, Japan, France, Australia and Spain, with all their automobile federations choosing to vote against Mosley. The German motoring federation ADAC, Europe s largest automobile association, also voted against Mosley and has confirmed that with the result, they have now frozen all their activities within the FIA.
BRDC president and ex-Formula One driver Damon Hill was astounded by the results of the vote. “In my position as president of the British Racing Drivers Club, trying to safeguard the future of the British Grand Prix, we really need an organisation like the FIA to help us protect our position so that we can have reasonable terms with the commercial rights holders,†Hill explained.
“But it is very difficult when you have a president who is as controversial as Max to go to governments and argue the case for Formula 1. Not taking onboard the political atmosphere can be a strength sometimes, but in this case, it just seems to be inconsiderate for the sport.
“Even Bernie Ecclestone has said Max has pushed his boundaries beyond the limit.â€
Dutch motoring body president Guido Van Woerkom has also expressed his displeasure at the outcome.
“I am not quite surprised but I am not happy,” Van Woerkom began. “I voted against. I wrote a letter with 34 other, bigger clubs, to ask Max to step down by at least November 2008, but the outcome is different.â€
Van Woerkom believes that some clubs may follow ADAC s example and withdraw activity from the FIA. “Yes, well, I am now away to have a lunch with those clubs and maybe that is the outcome of that discussion,” he explained.
