Max Mosley yet to respond to lurid sex video claims in British newspaper
You might be wondering why I’ve taken so long to respond to the sordid allegations about Max Mosley’s private life in today’s News of the World.
Well, first of all, I’ve been at Brands Hatch watching the touring cars all day! But more importantly, this is a shocking story and I thought it wise to take time over my response.
If you’re after the gory details you can find the story here and (if you really must) there’s even a video. The first thing to acknowledge is there’s been no official reaction from Mosley as yet.
Although other British newspapers have quickly picked up the story, the silence on the major F1 news sites is deafening. At the time of writing Autosport.com, Pitpass.com, Grandprix.com, Crash.net and many others have not mentioned it.
It’s all over the forums and blogs, of course. The Times’s writer Ed Gorman asks if Mosely can survive, Ollie at BlogF1 expects fall-out for either Mosley or the News of the World and Axis asks if it’s linked to McLaren being moved down the pit lane (hmm…).
Outside Britain it’s already being reported in Germany and Italy.
Shortly after the story was published the link to it on the News of the World’s website stopped working, suggesting it had been taken down. However it is now available once again.
There’s not much to be added to the story until a confession or denial is issued. I can’t claim to be an expert on assessing whether videos and photographs have been faked or not.
The News of the World’s story makes a lot of references to ‘Nazi-style’ behaviour, but it’s not clear from the evidence whether that’s actually an accurate description. British tabloids do like to link anything even remotely unseemly with Nazism, as the Daily Star did with the Lewis Hamilton racism story. Given the fascist past of Mosley’s family, it’s an obvious connection to make.
But even the the ‘Nazi’ angle is fantasy, the other details (assuming they are true) will be considered by many to be sufficiently unpleasant to make Mosley’s position untenable.
The News of the World is owned by News Corporation, which is the parent company of the Sunday Times. That newspaper faces a lawsuit instigated by Mosley following Martin Brundle’s reportage of the McLaren-Ferrari spy scandal. The News of the World is known for running such exposes including a series of scoops landed by Mazher Mahmood (the ‘Fake Sheikh‘).
It’s important to remember that at this stage nothing has been proved. But as last year McLaren were thrown out of the constructors’ championship for breaching article 151 (c) of the International Sporting Code (”acts prejudicial [...] to the interests of motor sport generally”), then even though this rule does not apply to Mosley, the principle should.
In the meantime he is understood to be consulting his lawyers. Check back for further updates as the story develops.
Unless the story is proved fake I really don’t see how he can avoid having to resign. Bizzare stuff.
Unfortunately! this seems to good to be true. Mind you if you research his parents….. "the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree"
If the Nazi/Holocaust element of the story is true, then this is seriously one of the sickest sex scandals to ever to involve a public figure that I can recall. And I can’t think of any other story that could be more damaging to F1 right now. This is truly repulsive stuff.
I can’t believe anyone would be stupid enough to record this if they did do it.
WEIRD !!!
Having previously worked in the Adult industry, I find myself unsurprised that Max might be into this sort of thing. It seems to be a by-product of powerful people that they need this kind of release.
I don’t think it should affect his position when a sneaky person publishes some private moments Max had with other consenting adults. If someone filmed my wife and I through a window, should I have to resign from my job because we were not "doin’ it missionary"?
I’m somewhat of the same opinion as Toby – what a person does in their own spare time and as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, or is malicious, then thats their own business. I agree that the context seems very insensitive, however it could be taken out of context by the publisher – it is News of The World.Â
I wouldn’t say this behaviour comes out as the Max Moseley the public know, and I don’t think it directly affects his ability to do his job (which how well he does is a completely different matter). I think a lot of people have their little kinky secrets that don’t necessarily mean anything other just a fantasy that could be healthy to a person to be acted out with other consenting adults. I guess in this case he may have hurt his wife by her discovering this through the media…
I certainly do not agree with his antics, or the context in question, but I do not see anything fundamentally wrong at this point knowing just what I’ve read. However, this is society, and the unofficial rule tends to be that it’ll be time to go.
I’m not trying to defend or implicate Max Moseley either way by saying this, but it’s so easy just to jump on the bandwagon.
Did anyone write in their "what gate" predictions for 2008, Moseley-gate? Only the 2nd race in as well…
Yep, F1 Punter did!
Mosely interview, "f1 official website".
http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2008/1/7286.html
"
Q: Will we see a scandal-free 2008 season?
MM: I hope so. But it is not in my hands.
"
Just whose hands was it in
p.s.
I sure hope Maclaren haven’t handed over a single
penny of their fine yet. I’d like to see Moseley’s successor
arguing his judgement was not impaired of late.
I didn’t know what the story was as it hasn’t been picked up in Oz, so I clicked on the link and now I really wish I hadn’t
Thats gonna take the nights sleep off me.
As regards to Toby’s comments – I agree that whatever one does in the privacy of their own home with consenting adults should not affect their professional life. However, given Mad Max’s family history, to mock Jewish victims of Nazi’s is particularly distasteful and demonstrates a severe lack of judgement on his part. Do we want someone with such poor decision making skills running F1?
If it’s true, I believe this might be the worst thing you can do in the world without committing a crime.
His sexual preferences are his private matter … But … the shocking part in this story are not the working ladies but the theme of that "party" especially given the family history…
The video or the pictures are not exactly clear so hard to tell if that really is Mosley or only his look alike. But I somehow do not believe anyone would dare to run a story like this about a powerful person if it were fabrications … Well let’s see. But whether it is real or not, it looks like Mosleygate is here …
I am sickened.
I believe that what happens behind closed doors is one’s own business — unless it harms another without his/her permission.
That’s in theory, however; because, in application, it’s never that simple.
What bothers me about this, if I am to separate my personal feelings from my "professional" feelings, is that the link between F1/Ecclestone (and Mosley, obviously,) to entirely un- and anti-democratic politics and regimes isn’t just disturbing on an economic level. It’s also alarming on a humanitarian level.
Let us not forget the Cold War, spies and the ballet …
Let us not forget how, in the past and present, money and/or "prestige" has allowed those with myopic views to pretend otherwise for the purpose of "naked diplomacy" … and yet, that "diplomatic immunity" alone has simultaneously allowed these same megalomaniacs to subvert the freedom and human kindnesses necessary to create within this world a place for ALL us to LIVE, much less thrive.
Do I care what Mosely’s done in the "bedroom"? Ugh … no — though it disgusts me to an extreme.
Do I care what this apparently deep-seeded perversity means in terms of the way his personal attitudes bleed into his professional decisions?
If you look at the direction of F1 in terms of anti-democratic associations of late?
YES.
The Australian news sites have picked it up and started to run the story. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23458404-5001021,00.htmlÂ
I like the phot0-shopped hat!
I have long refrained in citing his father’s fascist background even when tempted by his dictatorial high handed manner in dealing as the FIA president. I will continue to do so until the authenticity of the video is proven.
But there is no doubt others will not be as reluctant as I, and if the tape is authenticated, and if the newly proven half-wit Max Mosley doesn’t have the common sense to resign, the FIA need to give him the jack boot to his freshly scarred bottom. On second thought just show him the door, he might enjoy the boot and decide to stay for more!
As far as his personal sex life remaining personal, his willingness to cheat on his marital vows displays a moral terpitude that contradicts his stance last year with McLaren. He has uncovered his two faced nature and he no longer deserves the trust of the sport. He lost his respect last year.
"the newly proven half-wit Max Mosley "
Surely you jest, GeorgeK?
Pink Peril, I was merely paraphrasing Max’s derisive comments against Sir Jackie Stewart, a man I happen to greatly admire for many reasons.
If the video is true can there be any doubt Max is a half wit???
Bernie apparently does not think this is a problem …
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3649197.ece
As soon as I read this, my mind went back to that interview Keith posted before the season in which Bernie said that F1 needed more sex scandals- do any of you think this was what he had in mind?Â
Perhaps it’s true that whatever Max dose in his time is his business. However, when themes such as the ones he apparently indulged in are involved and it becomes public, it can only invite a firestorm of public outcry when the person involved is in such a pubicly prominent position.
Personally, I have lost all respect for Max. The theme involved with the acts is one of complete disgust, and one that many brave men and women from both the UK and the United States gave their lives to bring to a stop. My grandfather, serving in the US 29th infantry during the war, passed through several concentration camps and never forgot the horrors he saw, even many weeks after they had been liberated.
Finally, forgive me if I sound too old-fashioned, but this whole mess also obviously involves him cheating on his wife of many years, and his hiring of prostitutes may have broken laws dealing with that sort of thing- i’m not sure of this aspect as i’ve never studied any sort of British law.
All in all, shameful behavior form someone in such a prominent and responsible position.
Just quietly,
This came RIGHT out of left field! Who would have thought eh!
Ah sorry GeorgeK – if you’d said ‘certified’ then I would’ve gotten the reference immediately
My, my good news travels fast. Mad Max’s sexcapades are now the Number 1 most viewed article on The Age website.
Thanks for the link Milos – I found Bernie’s comments to be very disturbing – almost as disturbing as the act itself. A joke? Taking the piss? Sick sense of humour you have there then, Bernie.
For once, Holocaust was some decades ago and Germans themselves are ashamed about their history. Religious violence is nothing new, in-fact Christianity and Islam are the only two religions, which have been propagated by the sword(claiming the largest number of lives by any other reason than natural causes). By that account, most of us would have some association/relation with a murderer. Past is just that, past! We live now in the 21st century, so we better act like it now.
On the subject, Mosley has done a lot for the sport in the recent years. Though meddling with the regulations has not made a big fan out of me. I agree with Toby fully… what i do in my bedroom, should not really matter to others. Kimi did fiddle with his gearstick in his Macca days, but, that did not make him any less capable a driver.
…Â and now Planet F1 mentioned the story
I think the "what someone does in their private life is their own business" arguments are difficult to call until it’s established for sure exactly what he’s done. He may be guilty, or it may all be an elaborate hoax – the charges are so incredible I wouldn’t rule anything out at this stage.
I do agree that sometimes the media gets in a froth about stories that really aren’t their business – Lewis Hamilton moving to Switzerland, for example…
Seeing that he still has his old engine firing on all cylinders, its no surprise then he is calling for a freeze on engine development.
I did write another post on this which was online this morning but has now disappeared. This was due to a technical fault on the site.
The basic gist of the post was that while many newspapers had run articles on the allegations, many F1 sites had not. However I now see several F1 sites are running the story. Nevertheless I’m hoping to restore the post later today.
However I see Autosport have upset their forum readers by closing its thread on Mosley.
What ever this is, it surely is unbelievably hilarious!! Let’s see when Bernie drops him like a hot potato…
Assuming the evidence is not falsified then Mosley has no alternative but to resign. His judgement and credibility have been irreparably damaged by this. It does prove you can be absolutely useless at your job and keep it but undermine your employer by personal actions and you’re gone.
I wish we had a word for Schadenfreude perhaps Max knows one.
I´m of the opinion that whatever does Max in his spare time has nothing to do with his ability to manage his job. I don´t think he is obtainig the pleasure thinking in the suffering of all the people that were on nazi concentration camps. If the chicks were suited like bunnies but they were doing the same it would be such a scandal?
I think max has enough reasons to leave by his incompetence and nothing about this should be a better reason to force his retirement, he is bad at directing the f1 and i would be very happy to see his closet closed of this stuff
Well, there is a distinct difference between bunnies and prisoners. There is the very real possibility that he gets off on punishing prisoners, which in itself is already a pretty sick mindset, let alone without the possible connection to the nazis.
I cannot believe this stuff is true. How these people can be caught and filmed is such situations?. I have always thought they have these things from others, and they rule the rules.Â
Why leaving the trace unless everybody there are trustful or accomplice people?
I’m no fan of Mosely’s (by quite a long way; this the man who at every opportunity last year told anyone who would listen that Ron Dennis had no morals) but I honestly can’t see anyone coming out of this one in a positive light. That includes Mosely, the FIA, the sport we all love, Bernie, the drivers, etc.
On a human level it’s Max’s family I feel sorry for.
Don’t suppose its been a good weekend for them…
This scandal needs a name. How about "The Full Mosley"?
Any other suggestions? Bonus point if it doesn’t involve the word ‘gate’…
How about "Spanking the Monkey" ?
or "Max’s whip around for a spanking new set of morals"
how about a $100 million fine for bringing the sport into disrepute. oh, revenge can be sooooo sweet.
I know this is the F1 blog, and I’m a big f1 fan, but I obviously can’t help it and talk about these problems. As I said previously, if you are a racist or a nazi, you’re in big trouble nowadays. Not saying Max is one, but just think about it. If he is, he has to say all these lies (Like "the spanish racists are to be punished because racism is wrong", or making a campaign against something you believe in!) with a smile on. How does one deal with that? It’s certainly not very nice. And obviously, you don’t control what "gets you going", and, as ninguen said, if it were bunnies, no one would complain. If Nazi sex is what gets him going, what the hell is he supposed to do? Stop having sex? Now THAT would definitely interfere on how well he performs his job. It is obvious that the more the crusade against racism goes, the more we will get of that kind of row. You can’t even think anymore. Everywhere you see people saying "racists are half wits", "all racists are idiots" or "this is completely unnacceptable behaviour". Not easy to deal with, don’t you think?
I agree with all those who said that what he does in his private life is no one else’s business. Lots of people have sordid fantasies, and more yet: Everyone despises different things. No one is "pure" when it comes to that.
FLIG, your complaints about how racists are treated in today’s world are nothing short of stupid, dum, dimwitted,etc..
As for "It is obvious that the more the crusade against racism goes, the more we will get of that kind of row." How is that sentence supposed to be understood? I think you mean the more racists are haunted, the less easy it gets for them to have naziesque spanking sessions.
Forgive me Keith, but it had to be said, I would suggest you delete his comment and mine too…
One more thing, FLIG, in your narrowminded world, what about pedophiles, are they just supposed to stop having sex as well? I think you should rise to their defence too while you’re at it.
Please Keith, delete at will…
How about the ‘SMosley Incident‘
I realise this is a lurid subject and I do want people to be able to discuss it here (elsewhere on the internet these discussions are being closed). But can we please keep it reasonably clean, however strong we disagree on certain points (see the comment policy for more).
I have had to edit one or two comments above, which I ordinarily don’t like to do, but if I have to I will delete stuff as I’m not a global publishing house with armies of lawyers at my disposal to fight libel suits!
The video is gone off of utube here in the states. We just had a govenor resign for paying for it. So I guess that what you do in your free time is only applicable to us lowlly masses. Why would he allow a video camera in the room. He should resign for sheer stupidity.
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by News International Limited"
Mmm…Â irony.
I have deleted three further comments since my last comment. This blog is not for people to conduct personal arguments with one another.
And there it is.
Sorry, Keith, I tried to make it as impersonal and as related to the subject as I could. But you are right, this is about F1 and Max. Who, I shall say again, I’m not sure should keep his role in F1. But his sexual preferences and ideology should not be the basis to judge his continuity.
Well I can’t wait for some F1 team boss in an arguement with Mosley to use the one liner retort.
"If you don’t like it Max, spank me!"
I wonder how quickly fans at F1 races with banners poking fun at Max will be told to take them down vs. the banners in Spain at the practices antagonising Hamilton?
Max Mosley doing something wrong doesn’t mean the ones he punished were not wrong. McLaren is yet, without any doubt, guilty of spionage.
Anyways I always disliked Max. I hope he’ll quit after that. And I hope Bernie is one of the girls and also resigns
I’m afraid that i feel very much that his ideology should be held to account. If the man has prejudices then he should most certainly not be in the position he is. As much as it is not right to judge the son by his father’s sins, his behaviour really does beg some pretty serious questions.
I mean, there’s "not doing it missionary" as one comment mentioned – and then there is fantasizing being an officer in a concentration camp. Come on, let’s be honest here, it’s truly, deeply disturbing – especially given his background.
And to echo a sentiment mentioned by ed gorman in his blog, does not the somewhat harsh treatment of Mclaren, the only team to ever have a black driver in their team not take on a whole new context now. I’m afraid there are doubts raised in my mind.
Out in the real world people lose their jobs for discriminatory behaviour. If you found your boss to be racist, even though he may not overtly show those colours in the workplace, would you really want him to be your boss and in a position of power?? I sincerely hope not. To say that his ideology is simply a fantasy and has no crossover into his "normal" everyday life is kidding ourselves.
ps – i find bernie’s comments in response almost more insulting frankly. As usual he’s as tactful as an elephant. But to say that Max is having a laugh and taking the piss, frankly I think that’s a completely disgusting thing to say.
Josh raises a valid point about the treatment of McLaren coming at the same time as the emegrence of Hamilton as not only the first black driver in F1, but also a global sports superstar. While i’m sure the fines would have also been stiff for any other team involved in that scandal, perhaps there was an extra motivator for Max in that case. And in terms of Bernie’s reaction, he naturally tries to sweep it under the rug- would we expect anything else from the hobbit?
As I mentioned earlier, I have never studied British law to any true extent- can any of you tell me if Max has violated any laws by hiring these women?