- 09 Oct 07, 16:43#17169
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
Both from autosport.com:
Stewart eyes legal action against Mosley
By Mark Glendenning and Dieter Rencken Tuesday, October 9th 2007, 08:49 GMT
Jackie StewartJackie Stewart is considering legal action against FIA president Max Mosley following remarks attributed to the FIA President in the British media last week.
Mosley reportedly described Stewart as a "certified half-wit" while at a lunch with journalists. He dismissed Stewart's criticism of the record US$100 million dollar fine dealt to McLaren in the F1 spy case, the president saying that nobody in Formula One took the Scot's opinions seriously.
"That [legal] option is still very open," Stewart told autosport.com in Shanghai. "My lawyers advised me that I have every right to do so, and that's an option that I am able to take up. We're in communication - I'm not personally, but my lawyers are in communication with Mr Mosley."
Stewart also said that he was disappointed to see such remarks coming from someone in Mosley's position, and claimed that it was unbecoming of the sport.
"I think it was very wrong for Max to do what he did, because it's unbecoming for the president of the body that governs this sport to be speaking in such a fashion," he said.
"I don't think you would see the chairman of the Olympic movement saying such a thing. And that of course is much higher than Max, but nevertheless it is an international organisation.
"I think it was an act of misjudgement by him, but he must have been very upset - for no apparent reason, because any criticisms that I have made are no different from many other people aired with respect to the severity of the penalty of the McLaren thing, and the manner in which the case came together.
"So I think I was observing and I have the privilege of doing that as an individual opinion, but he obviously is not used to people questioning some of his judgements. And in this particular case I didn't do it against Max Mosley, it was just my opinion of the whole business that took place.
"But I think it is unfortunate that he behaved in the fashion that he has. It is libellous, and I think that's really all I can say."
Mosley's comments have drawn condemnation from other quarters, including 1996 world champion Damon Hill, who made his feelings clear in a letter to Autosport magazine this week.
"It is well known that Sir Jackie is dyslexic and has struggles (as many thousands do) to cope with the all too easily made judgement that they are less intelligent than 'ordinary' folk," Hill wrote.
"This is in fact more often than not quite the opposite, and many dyslexic people are highly intelligent and extraordinarily gifted, as I believe is the case with Sir Jackie.
"To call him therefore a 'certified halfwit' would be on the first level unkind, but on another level, indeed the level at which Mr Mosley would like us to understand he operates on, is nothing other than a wicked joke designed to visit the utmost humiliation on its victim.
"Regardless or not of whether he was alluding to his dyslexia, what he said was a gross insult to one of the sport's leading figures over the last four decades and a thrice world champion.
"Not only is it bad manners, it also calls into question the character and judgment of the man who represents motor sport throughout the world through the august institution of the FIA.
"It is conduct most unbecoming of an FIA president and, in my humble view, brought the sport into disrepute, a crime he seems so keen to eradicate."
Mosley stands by his Stewart criticism
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, October 9th 2007, 08:54 GMT
Max MosleyFIA president Max Mosley says he is standing by his criticism of former world champion Jackie Stewart, despite possible threat of legal action by Stewart himself.
Mosley ridiculed Stewart in a recent meeting with British newspaper journalists, the FIA president describing the former world champion as "a figure of fun" and a "certified halfwit".
Stewart himself said in Shanghai last weekend that he is considering legal action against Mosley.
But speaking to autosport.com, the FIA president has insisted that the Scot's criticism of the governing body's actions were unjustified and he has refused to apologise for his remarks.
"Some members of the British motor sport establishment consider Jackie Stewart to be a national treasure," said Mosley. "I have known Jackie for almost forty years, and understand their view, but they must forgive me if I do not share it.
"The comments Jackie repeatedly made to a global television audience before and after the recent hearings into the McLaren Affair were ill informed and entirely misrepresented the World Council's position.
"Jackie claimed the World Council were 'witch hunting' against McLaren. A witch hunt is the irrational and unjustified persecution of the innocent. To make this and other unfounded and partisan accusations without viewing any of the evidence was not only inept but thoroughly irresponsible. Such comments could do nothing but damage to the sport.
"I have no apology to make for having said as much publicly and I am more than happy to repeat this view about him now and in the future."
Mosley accepted that his comments about Stewart may not have gone down well in certain quarters, but he was adamant that his job as FIA president was not for him to be universally liked by everyone in the sport.
"Of course criticising the pronouncements, however misconceived, of a much loved former World Champion is unpopular in some quarters," he said.
"I can only reaffirm the obvious fact that it is not my job to be loved and never will be. Sanctioning a team as prestigious as McLaren for bringing the sport into disrepute is not one I, nor indeed any member of the World Council relished, but we will never shrink from our responsibility to do so if required.
"The suggestions that my original comments were an implied criticism of anyone other than Jackie himself are complete nonsense and unworthy of those who have sought to make them."
A very poor explanation from Mosley. Yes, his job is not to be liked, however, he is meant to be professional. He was totally amateur in his very offensive remarks. The FIA are already up to their neck in corruption, but in a better organisation he would be fired.
Stewart eyes legal action against Mosley
By Mark Glendenning and Dieter Rencken Tuesday, October 9th 2007, 08:49 GMT
Jackie StewartJackie Stewart is considering legal action against FIA president Max Mosley following remarks attributed to the FIA President in the British media last week.
Mosley reportedly described Stewart as a "certified half-wit" while at a lunch with journalists. He dismissed Stewart's criticism of the record US$100 million dollar fine dealt to McLaren in the F1 spy case, the president saying that nobody in Formula One took the Scot's opinions seriously.
"That [legal] option is still very open," Stewart told autosport.com in Shanghai. "My lawyers advised me that I have every right to do so, and that's an option that I am able to take up. We're in communication - I'm not personally, but my lawyers are in communication with Mr Mosley."
Stewart also said that he was disappointed to see such remarks coming from someone in Mosley's position, and claimed that it was unbecoming of the sport.
"I think it was very wrong for Max to do what he did, because it's unbecoming for the president of the body that governs this sport to be speaking in such a fashion," he said.
"I don't think you would see the chairman of the Olympic movement saying such a thing. And that of course is much higher than Max, but nevertheless it is an international organisation.
"I think it was an act of misjudgement by him, but he must have been very upset - for no apparent reason, because any criticisms that I have made are no different from many other people aired with respect to the severity of the penalty of the McLaren thing, and the manner in which the case came together.
"So I think I was observing and I have the privilege of doing that as an individual opinion, but he obviously is not used to people questioning some of his judgements. And in this particular case I didn't do it against Max Mosley, it was just my opinion of the whole business that took place.
"But I think it is unfortunate that he behaved in the fashion that he has. It is libellous, and I think that's really all I can say."
Mosley's comments have drawn condemnation from other quarters, including 1996 world champion Damon Hill, who made his feelings clear in a letter to Autosport magazine this week.
"It is well known that Sir Jackie is dyslexic and has struggles (as many thousands do) to cope with the all too easily made judgement that they are less intelligent than 'ordinary' folk," Hill wrote.
"This is in fact more often than not quite the opposite, and many dyslexic people are highly intelligent and extraordinarily gifted, as I believe is the case with Sir Jackie.
"To call him therefore a 'certified halfwit' would be on the first level unkind, but on another level, indeed the level at which Mr Mosley would like us to understand he operates on, is nothing other than a wicked joke designed to visit the utmost humiliation on its victim.
"Regardless or not of whether he was alluding to his dyslexia, what he said was a gross insult to one of the sport's leading figures over the last four decades and a thrice world champion.
"Not only is it bad manners, it also calls into question the character and judgment of the man who represents motor sport throughout the world through the august institution of the FIA.
"It is conduct most unbecoming of an FIA president and, in my humble view, brought the sport into disrepute, a crime he seems so keen to eradicate."
Mosley stands by his Stewart criticism
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, October 9th 2007, 08:54 GMT
Max MosleyFIA president Max Mosley says he is standing by his criticism of former world champion Jackie Stewart, despite possible threat of legal action by Stewart himself.
Mosley ridiculed Stewart in a recent meeting with British newspaper journalists, the FIA president describing the former world champion as "a figure of fun" and a "certified halfwit".
Stewart himself said in Shanghai last weekend that he is considering legal action against Mosley.
But speaking to autosport.com, the FIA president has insisted that the Scot's criticism of the governing body's actions were unjustified and he has refused to apologise for his remarks.
"Some members of the British motor sport establishment consider Jackie Stewart to be a national treasure," said Mosley. "I have known Jackie for almost forty years, and understand their view, but they must forgive me if I do not share it.
"The comments Jackie repeatedly made to a global television audience before and after the recent hearings into the McLaren Affair were ill informed and entirely misrepresented the World Council's position.
"Jackie claimed the World Council were 'witch hunting' against McLaren. A witch hunt is the irrational and unjustified persecution of the innocent. To make this and other unfounded and partisan accusations without viewing any of the evidence was not only inept but thoroughly irresponsible. Such comments could do nothing but damage to the sport.
"I have no apology to make for having said as much publicly and I am more than happy to repeat this view about him now and in the future."
Mosley accepted that his comments about Stewart may not have gone down well in certain quarters, but he was adamant that his job as FIA president was not for him to be universally liked by everyone in the sport.
"Of course criticising the pronouncements, however misconceived, of a much loved former World Champion is unpopular in some quarters," he said.
"I can only reaffirm the obvious fact that it is not my job to be loved and never will be. Sanctioning a team as prestigious as McLaren for bringing the sport into disrepute is not one I, nor indeed any member of the World Council relished, but we will never shrink from our responsibility to do so if required.
"The suggestions that my original comments were an implied criticism of anyone other than Jackie himself are complete nonsense and unworthy of those who have sought to make them."
A very poor explanation from Mosley. Yes, his job is not to be liked, however, he is meant to be professional. He was totally amateur in his very offensive remarks. The FIA are already up to their neck in corruption, but in a better organisation he would be fired.
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
