Formula One Commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed Max Mosley’s claims that his Formula One Group is trying to seize control of the sport’s regulations.
Mosley sent a letter to FIA members last week warning that voting him out of office would leave would leave the FIA’s regulatory function subject to a take over by commercial rights holders CVC and Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Group.
Ecclestone responded with his own letter to FIA club presidents denying the accusations:
“The CRH (commercial rights holder) does not wish to have control over the Formula One regulations.”
“We believe that the Formula One regulations should be drawn up by the Formula One Technical and Sporting Working Groups, subject to the approval of the FIA Formula One Commission and the FIA World Motor Sport Council.”
“To the extent any changes to the Formula One regulations may have a material commercial impact on the CRH and its interests, such changes should be discussed and agreed with us.”
“Imprudent changes to the Formula One regulations, if adopted, could have a dramatic adverse impact on the attractiveness of the sport, to promoters, to broadcasters, to sponsors and to the fans; they could add significantly to the cost of participating in the Championship at a competitive level; they could also undermine or depart from the Championship’s traditional values. We believe that a clear regulatory framework would minimise the risk of such problems.”
Ecclestone insisted that the FIA should remain the ‘sole body governing international motor sport, which governs the sporting organisation of the FIA Formula One World Championship.’
“We recognise the obligation conferred upon the FIA by you, its membership, to safeguard its authority over all safety, sporting and technical matters relating to the Championship, as well as its traditional values.”
“We support and concur with the requirement of the European Commission that regulatory functions relating to international motor sport be separate from the associated commercial interests and that the FIA’s role in Formula One should be that of the sporting regulator, uninvolved in its commercial exploitation.”
