Renewed calls for Mosley to step down

Friday 25th July 2008

Max Mosley may have emerged victorious from his day in court, but that has not prevented renewed calls for him to resign as head of the FIA.

Mosley was awarded a record �60,000 compensation after winning his privacy action against the News of the World, which had accused the 68-year-old son of 1930s Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley of taking part in a "sick orgy" with five prostitutes.

It was Mosley's second triumph in the space of 52 days as he also won a vote of confidence on June 3 to remain in office, claiming 61% of a secret ballot that took place at the FIA's headquarters in Paris.

Mosley was accused of "playing hardball" on that occasion as 103 members of the 169 who voted at the hearing did so in favour of him continuing as president.

Thursday's success in the High Court will almost certainly serve only to steel his resolve to see through his mandate to October 2009.

But there are appreciably those critics who feel Mosley should now call it a day after finally vindicating himself.

Three-times former Formula One World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart, a staunch Mosley critic, said: "Max should now step down and cut out of it totally.

"His stewardship of the FIA simply cannot be undertaken in its fullest form because of what has occurred. That's straightforward.

"But the biggest downside is the FIA themselves have come out of this very badly. The fact he does not resign puts a shadow over the FIA.

"They should have more knowledge of life than to allow this to continue, and that is what is showing up negatively against them.

"But it is understandable he survived because of the way he runs the FIA."

Even pleas from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone fell on deaf ears as Mosley stood his ground.

"That just shows you what is wrong with the FIA," added Stewart.

"No other organisation in the world would put up with that, but he is so powerful within the FIA.

"Very high standing people, like race team owners, team principals, team managers and drivers are frightened to speak out. That's wrong isn't it?

"That's the negativity within the FIA because they should be able to put their own house in order, but nobody is prepared to stand up.

"That's a bad sign - the bully factor."

Stewart claims confidence within the commercial side of the sport is not high due to Mosley's continued presence, and at a time when the economics of the world are far from healthy.

"Formula One is the world's largest capital investment sport," said Stewart.

"In Monaco, chairman and CEOs who traditionally attend did not appear because Max announced he would be there.

"There were others who had people working for them who made sure they would not be confronted or photographed shaking hands with Max Mosley.

"That's no way for the sport to behave.

"The FIA needs to be run by full-time, fully-paid executives, and completely restructured to provide correct corporate governance that is totally transparent."

Former Minardi team principal Paul Stoddart also feels Formula One is now "without credibility" while Mosley remains in office.

Even Stirling Moss, who concedes to liking Mosley and appreciates what he has achieved for motoring around the world, not just F1, does not think his position is tenable.

"I can understand how people feel, and therefore he cannot hold the stature he did before," Moss told the BBC.

"With a number of countries behind him, that must at least be quite gratifying to him, that he has the right to continue.

"But I think he would probably feel a bit untenable, and I would have thought this has hurt him tremendously."

Related Links
Mosley: Ruling puts lie to rest