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[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Berger: Judge Mosley on his work

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Thursday, May 22nd 2008, 14:48 GMT

FIA president Max Mosley, Monaco, 2008Scuderia Toro Rosso's co-owner Gerhard Berger says Max Mosley should only be judged by his work as FIA president rather by what he does in private.

The FIA head made a low-key return to the Formula One paddock at Monaco, refusing to answer questions before going back to his private office before the start of today's practice.

It was Mosley's first visit to the F1 paddock since revelations were printed about his private life in the News of the World newspaper.

Mosley will face a confidence vote at an extraordinary meeting of the FIA World Council, in Paris on June 3.

Berger said on Thursday that Mosley should not be judged by his private life, and the Austrian was critical of some members of the Formula One fraternity.

"I never commented because I think it is entirely a private thing," Berger told a news conference in Monaco. "I think there is nothing to comment. It is something that happens with grown up people, nothing against the law and I am very surprised how many angels are around here, especially in F1, who are very clear and very nice.

"To connect this to the job of Mosley as FIA president is not right. I have been a long time in F1 now, I have seen many things and I have been in an era of Mosley racing and the position now... there are very few people who have made so much safety impact in motorsport as Max.

"If you remember, especially what happened in 1994 with Ayrton at Imola, he was a strong guy to change a lot of things, race tracks and crash tests. And to see an accident like last year in Canada with Kubica, it saved his life.

"He has done a lot in road cars too, all these improvements in crash tests. I think it is not fair to see it through the glasses as some people try to see it.

"I think his future in the FIA should be decided by the clubs, not by the newspapers or us. The sport needs a strong guy and he definitely is."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said the focus during the weekend should be on racing, not on Mosley's visit.

"We are here to go racing with the focus on the sport," he said. "It is very much an internal issue for Max and the FIA. There is nothing further for me to add other than that what Gerhard says: he has done many, many good things."

Don't be so naive, Gerhard. Anybody would've made changes after Imola 1994, and the rest of Mosley's track record sucks. That's not enough to get rid him, minus his Nazi-themed orgy. Further, what work can he continue to do?, given that nobody (your own team included) wants to be near him.

[7UpJordan]

Prost pretty much said the same thing Berger did too.

[bernification]

Mosely shouldn't have to resign because of his personal life, he should resign because of the unbelievable bias he has shown towards Ferrari.
He even went on record with this.
He has made the FIA look ridiculous, and it would not be beyond the realms of possibility that this scandal has been manufactured to see him off.
Good riddance!

Replacement wise, anyone whos father wasn't a Fascist party leader.

[Martin]

Mosely shouldn't have to resign because of his personal life, he should resign because of the unbelievable bias he has shown towards Ferrari.
He even went on record with this.
He has made the FIA look ridiculous, and it would not be beyond the realms of possibility that this scandal has been manufactured to see him off.
Good riddance!

Replacement wise, anyone whos father wasn't a Fascist party leader.

You kind of dispute your own point here bernification. You say that personal life should not be the reason he leaves and then you suggest that his replacement should be anyone whos father was not a Facist. The politics of ones father is a very personal issue.
I do agree with you though on the Ferrari point. There are So many reasons why MM should go - its take your pick I suppose.
Even if MMs activities were private, the facts are that he has seriously offended many people / organisations with whom he has to do business - that initself makes his job untenable.

[bernification]

Sorry, the last point was a joke. Maybe I should have qualified it as such with a little smiley face, but I thought it obvious.

[bernification]

Oh, and I forgot, the guy whose wife sold the story to the notw, the MI5 operative, he lost his job as his bosses thought his position too compromised!
And MM stays on?
Go figure.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Mosley set to ignore renewed calls to quit

By Jonathan Noble Friday, May 23rd 2008, 16:39 GMT

Max MosleyMax Mosley plans to ignore a renewed push from senior figures within the FIA to persuade him to resign before next month's vote on his future, autosport.com has learned.

The FIA president has so far bucked repeated calls to tender his resignation in the wake of the News of the World revelations about his private life.

In fact, he claims that despite several leading figures within motor racing and some automobile clubs wanting him to stand down, he has received even more letters of support indicating that he should continue in his role.

Last week's letter from Mosley to the presidents of national automobile clubs warning them that the FIA could lose control of Formula One if he was forced from office was widely viewed as a move to weaken opposition within the governing body ahead of the June 3 confidence vote at the General Assembly.

However, autosport.com has learned that moves have been put in place to try and get Mosley to resign before the June 3 meeting - amid fears about a negative impact on Mosley and the FIA whatever the outcome of the vote.

In a letter written to the presidents of the Asia and Pacific members of the Automobile Mobility and Tourism side of the FIA, the head of the Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF) has revealed that Mosley is set to face talks with senior FIA officials to be 'persuaded' to step down prior to June 3.

In the letter sent last week, a copy of which has been seen by autosport.com, Setsuo Tanaka, the president of JAF, claims that a vote was taken at the FIA Spring meeting in late April to make a fresh attempt to get Mosley to stand down.

Tanaka wrote: "The World Council has unanimously agreed that we should avoid (a) vote of confidence at the Extraordinary General Assembly on 3 June, because if President Mosley would get no-confidence, it would mean disaster to him, and on the contrary, if President Mosley would get confidence, it would mean disaster to the FIA.

"In this context, the members of the World Council for the Automobile Mobility and Tourism who were present (at the Spring Meeting) unanimously gave mandate to Deputy President (Franco) Lucchesi and Region 1 President (Werner) Kraus to discuss this subject with President Mosley for the purpose of persuading him to step down."

Tanaka also claims that he wrote a personal letter to Mosley on April 11 asking him to step down from his position.

However, sources have suggested that the move to persuade Mosley to resign before June 3 will not even get as far as the FIA president - with Lucchesi likely not to accept the mandate request.

But although this push to get Mosley to resign appears to have failed, the existence of the letter indicates that there is continued opposition to him continuing in his post.

Mosley has attended this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, his first visit to an F1 race since the News of the World story first broke prior to the race in Bahrain.

Despite being seen in the paddock on Thursday, Mosley has spent most of his time in private offices conducting meetings with various figures from F1.

It is understood that as well as meeting with Renault boss Flavio Briatore and Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali, he has also held discussions with Williams CEO Adam Parr, Force India owner Vijay Mallya and former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt.

[texasmr2]

Max is not leaving without a fight just as any other dictator and if we all must endure the rest of his tenure let's hope he keep's his word and step's down in '09.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Mosley rejects talk of FIA crisis

By Pablo Elizalde Thursday, May 29th 2008, 14:23 GMT

Max MosleyFIA president Max Mosley has rejected talk of crisis within the governing body, responding to a number of leading automobile clubs who have called for his resignation.

The 24 clubs wrote a letter to Mosley saying the FIA was in a 'critical' situation, asking the Briton to step down in order to avoid damage to its image and credibility.

"We strongly believe that the only respectable way forward for the FIA, and for yourself, is to have an orderly transition, with an immediate agreement and your commitment to step down," the letter from the clubs said.

The clubs also said that Mosley's refusal to accept a compromise deal to leave in November had left the governing body in a crisis.

"We deeply regret your refusal to accept the proposal by the members of the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism to reach an agreement for you to step down at the General Assembly in the coming month of November," the letter added. "This is a constructive effort to facilitate an orderly transition within the FIA and to find a solution to the present crisis."

Mosley, in a letter sent to the 24 clubs, said on Thursday that accepting the deal would have been "the worst possible solution" for the FIA.

The governing body's head also labelled as "nonsense" talks of crisis within the FIA and insisted he has received more calls to stay than to quit.

"I did not accept the proposal from some (but not, as you incorrectly suggest, all) members of the Mobility World Council because it was the worst possible solution," Mosley wrote.

"I would have resigned, yet still spent the summer carrying out all the day-to-day work with neither the time nor the authority to complete the major outstanding tasks. Better to stop immediately than accept this muddled compromise.

"Your suggestion of a 'crisis' is nonsense. Although I am personally embarrassed and greatly regret that this affair has become public, no one fails to call for roadside assistance because of it.

"As I said in my earlier letters, the communications I received from club presidents were overwhelmingly in favour of my remaining as president. I therefore had no choice but to submit the question to the FIA membership as a whole. I certainly could not have simply ignored the majority and resigned."

Mosley also said that some of the clubs that have called for his resignation already wanted him out before the revelations about his private life.

"Some of the larger clubs among those who have signed your letter have previously contradicted their claimed commitment to the FIA," he added. "See the sample responses of the AAA, ADAC, ANWB, JAF, and TCS to the FIA Survey of 5 February 2008 attached. These same clubs have, of course, been trying to change the structure of the FIA since well before the events they now seek to exploit.

"As stated in my letter of 23 May, several of these same clubs have formed groups separate from the FIA from which the wider FIA membership is excluded. Worse, they have obstructed our efforts to improve cooperation between all clubs.

"Combined with a complete lack of transparency, I believe these activities are contrary to the interests of the FIA."

Mosley also claimted the stance adopted by Bernie Ecclestone in his letter on Friday was different to that which he has previously indicated.

"Mr Ecclestone is willing to continue working with the FIA because he has a binding contract to do so. In his letter to the clubs, he says he is now willing to live with this contract. That is a sudden and major change in position.

"Together with other member clubs of the FIA you will be free to express your views to the Assembly next Tuesday."

Mosley is set to face a confidence vote in an Extraordinary General Assembly on June 3rd.

Autosport have also provided the letter in full:

Full letter from Max Mosley to the clubs

Thursday, May 29th 2008, 14:40 GMT

Dear Presidents

Thank you for your letter of 28 May.

I will use your numbering in this reply.

1. I did not accept the proposal from some (but not, as you incorrectly suggest, all) members of the Mobility World Council because it was the worst possible solution. I would have resigned, yet still spent the summer carrying out all the day-to-day work with neither the time nor the authority to complete the major outstanding tasks. Better to stop immediately than accept this muddled compromise.

Your suggestion of a "crisis" is nonsense. Although I am personally embarrassed and greatly regret that this affair has become public, no one fails to call for roadside assistance because of it.

As I said in my earlier letters, the communications I received from club presidents were overwhelmingly in favour of my remaining as president. I therefore had no choice but to submit the question to the FIA membership as a whole. I certainly could not have simply ignored the majority and resigned.

2. Some of the larger clubs among those who have signed your letter have previously contradicted their claimed commitment to the FIA. See the sample responses of the AAA, ADAC, ANWB, JAF, and TCS to the FIA Survey of 5 February 2008 attached. These same clubs have, of course, been trying to change the structure of the FIA since well before the events they now seek to exploit.

As stated in my letter of 23 May, several of these same clubs have formed groups separate from the FIA from which the wider FIA membership is excluded. Worse, they have obstructed our efforts to improve cooperation between all clubs. Combined with a complete lack of transparency, I believe these activities are contrary to the interests of the FIA.

3. Mr Ecclestone is willing to continue working with the FIA because he has a binding contract to do so. In his letter to the clubs, he says he is now willing to live with this contract. That is a sudden and major change in position.

Together with other member clubs of the FIA you will be free to express your views to the Assembly next Tuesday.

In the interest of transparency, I am sending a copy of your letter together with this reply to all the member clubs of the FIA.

Yours sincerely

Max Mosley

FIA SURVEY

The FIA launched the first major online survey of its member clubs on 5 February 2008. The survey received a very positive response to its detailed questions from 57 leading clubs around the world.

The majority of the responses endorsed the FIA's plans to improve cooperation and coordination throughout the FIA club network in both motoring and motor sport, for example, 87 per cent agreed that the FIA brand added value to member clubs and 82% also agreed that sport can be used to promote mobility issues.

However, a small minority of clubs, representing the major individual membership markets of America, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan demonstrated a consistently negative view to their involvement and interaction within the FIA community.

The following are some examples of the negative responses made to the member survey. They highlight a disagreement with some of the fundamental objectives set by both World Councils following the merger of the AIT and the FIA.

When asked if the FIA was the best forum to bring together the policy expertise of clubs worldwide, the ADAC disagreed.

When asked if FIA Sport could help to promote FIA Mobility issues, particularly in terms of safety and the environment, the ADAC disagreed.

When asked if the promotional links between the sporting side of the FIA and the non-sporting side should be strengthened, the ANWB, the ADAC and the TCS disagreed.

When asked if your club would be interested in more active support from the FIA in developing and communicating policy campaigns the ADAC and the ANWB disagreed.

When asked if a Working Group with representatives from all FIA Regions would help to strengthen the link between the sporting and mobility sides of the FIA and its sister organisations, JAF, the ANWB and the TCS disagreed.

When asked if your club would like to use the FIA brand on its website and other external communications material, JAF, the AAA and the ADAC disagreed. (Emphasis in original)

[Martin]

If MM's claims are correct, and more people support him than demand his resignation I wonder why this would be. Regardless of your opinion off him ,and the scandal, it must, surely, be obvious to anyone that the FIA is a current shambles, and all this is MMs doing. There are so many people and organisations now that call for his resignation that it would be impossible for him to deal with them in normal business - he, at the very least, has lost their respect. To work efficiently a President has to have the respect of those he has to deal with. To be fair, any organisation the size of the FIA, will always have its dissenters, but, from what I can gather, there has been criticism of the FIA performance from most levels of motor sport for some years, at a level far above that which is reasonable.
Personally, as most of you will know, I think that if Moseley left yesterday it would still be far too late, the man's a disgrace (and not just in his sexual activities). He does not carry the respect, dignity or ability that I, and people in the industry far more important than me, would expect of a person in such a high position.
Moseley must go - why would anyone support him? What's in it for them?

[racechick]

I think some of the smaller countries just getting into motor sport he promises to help, he wheedles round them and unfortunately they carry as much weight as the 'heavies',the traditional motor racing countries who have all asked for his resignation. Also he has the voting system set up so that anyone who doesnt cast a vote is counted as a vote in his favour

[Martin]

I think some of the smaller countries just getting into motor sport he promises to help, he wheedles round them and unfortunately they carry as much weight as the 'heavies',the traditional motor racing countries who have all asked for his resignation. Also he has the voting system set up so that anyone who doesnt cast a vote is counted as a vote in his favour

Good points RC, but I didn't know about the voting system. What kind of democracy is that? I know - Mugabe style!

[Hanwombat]

All I know is, I believe MM must step down, whether of his own accord or forced

[Mikep99]

F1 families fear deadly dance for Max Mosley
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/31/smmosl131.xml

Formula One is engaged in its own episode of The Sopranos. The heads of families once aligned are now locked in a deadly tango. Bernie Ecclestone's decision to make public his views on the position of Max Mosley in the F1 is equivalent to waking up to a horse's head on your pillow.



# Ecclestone says Mosley must go
Ecclestone would have preferred a less public execution, but Mosley's intransigence with the critical vote of confidence just three days away left him no choice. Ecclestone is not expressing only a personal view. His hand is bound to those of F1's major stakeholders.
Mosley is entombed in absurdity, advised by a small band of loyal courtiers. His fate is theirs. So on they plod, in denial.
Ecclestone now needs his message to penetrate Mosley's bunker. This, he is saying, is not a war Mosley can win, even with a positive result on Tuesday. He will always be President Mosley - consort of hookers. The stain is indelible.
The move is not without risk. The pair have shaped F1 for almost 40 years. The result has been stability and mutual gain. With his great ally fatally wounded, the balance between frisson and dread is delicately poised in the house of Ecclestone.

[texasmr2]

Your pic's are great!!