Max Mosley wins FIA vote of confidence
Max Mosley has won the vote of confidence in him is FIA President.
Before the votes were cast in the FIA extraordinary general meeting it was calculated that he needed at least 89 of 177 available votes to win (45 of the 222 clubs were judged ineligible to vote).
He won with 103 votes to 55, with seven abstentions and four invalid votes. Further updates below.
With so much opposition to him having come out in public, not least from Bernie Ecclestone and many of the largest automobile clubs that comprise the FIA membership, it remains to be seen whether there will be further attempts to remove him from office.
In a poll on this website 81% of readers wanted Mosley to step down over the sex scandal.
Update: the ramifications of the vote are already being felt. The German motoring body ADAC, the largest in Europe, has announced it is suspending all activities relating to the FIA until Mosley steps down. More here. The American Automobile Association is expected to make an announcement shortly.
caren’t say that this was really unexpected…
He should proceed and do the honorable thing by resigning. But Max is not a honorable man.
Very dissapointing, but as Oliver said, not unexpected. Bernie should just get the top 20-30 groups together and form a new governing body for F1 and pick up the regulations himself.
F1 will only be compromised and gain no benefit by continuing to be associated with an FIA with Max at the head. Max has shown the world that he places his own interests above those of every team, driver, sponsor associated with motor sports.
Of course, it’s the will of the Association members which have kept him in office. It seems a shame that public opinion doesn’t have an influence on such an important decision for motorsport in general.
I must admit I have no preference to whether he stays or goes, so long as the excitement on the track keeps up.
I agree with Oliver.
I agree with Oliver too. Max hangs on - but at what price? I wonder what the dissenting clubs have to say about this.
Oh, some other details:
http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_3644360,00.html
Eddie Jordan thinks Max will still resign - albeit now on his own terms.
But:
http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_3644156,00.html
Bernie thinks Max will run again. US delegate Robert Darbelnet is also considering withdrawing his club (is it the AAA?) from the FIA.
This is his principle to life, I think: It is too easy, when alive, to make perfectly horrible mistakes… So it goes….
apologies if any of the following is wrong im not sure of all the facts but from my understanding the vote was to decide whether max could still do his job properly.
Last weekend was the monaco grand prix, the apparent jewell in the formula 1 crown, the race which is commercially the most valuable to formula 1, the race where anyone whos anyone in formula 1 makes an appearance. yet max wasnt welcome ther ebecause nobody wants to be seen associting with a nazi supporter. It doesnt matter how it came about and how it got into the publics attention the fact is it has got into the public attention and it has affected max’s ability to show his face in public.
people dont want to be seen with him so how can he be in a position of such importance and power.
I suppose we saw this coming, really. But after the actions of the ADAC, more motorsport bodys may follow suit. I agree with Oliver, Mosley should just step down, but I don’t think he will.
And another thing, after all this public oppositions towards Mosley, where did all this suport come from?! Turned out that Mosley wasn’t lying about the amount of people that were supporting him, but who are they?
It was predictable… Now we will see at least one year of stalling and retaliations…
I’ve defended Max previously here asking how his private life has anything to do with his running or an organisation, and I’m glad this was the result. I feel the ‘nazi-orgy’ was perhaps convienient for those who wish to oust him, as there argument of it damaging the sport is a very thin one.
Also Max Mosley called this meeting, I think, and he is a trained and successfully proven barrister, I doubt he was low on confidence.
M Smith - mainly the smaller clubs. As mentioned before the larger clubs that represent the majority of motorists were very much against Mosley. But the smaller clubs stuck up for him and already people are starting to speculate why. The Dutch representative indicated some of the clubs that had voted for Mosley receive money from the FIA (though he stopped short of implying corruption). More here.
My goodness, this is really becoming a mess.
Tom, Max won, and the key clubs (like ADAC and AAA) don’t want to work with him anymore. His dogged persistence to stay is causing him to lose key support - it just might tear the FIA apart.
P.S. Keith, some of my comments can’t get through - can you check if it’s in your moderation queue?
OK, 1.It has been stated elsewhere on F1Fanatic that Bernie and FOG are already trying to take control of F1. It now looks like he will be able to go ahead with winning more organisations over to his point of view, since there are a lot of unhappy people about now.
This will mean that FOG, and its various members will
a)own the racing circuits
b)own the racing teams
c)own the racing drivers
d)make up the rules and enforce them
Do you really want this to happen?
2. Since ADAC has already left the FIA, and the American organisation may follow suit, and others, what will happen to the overall control of Motorsport if it fragments? Do you want to see unified regulations or do you want to go back to the mess it was before most came under FIA control?
3. With Max still in place this scandal will now continue to rattle around the media until the court case and beyond. This will affect everyone and everything to do with any motorsport under FIA control.
Oh, and if the key FIA clubs (most notably ADAC) withdraw from the FIA, will this affect the F1 GPs held in their countries? Or will they make a separate deal with Bernie for it?
No surprise when small clubs have the same voting power as large clubs then it is easier to get a favourable vote if they have “support” from the fia - still wouldnt like to hear what sponsors think of this
DG,
1. Isn’t that what NASCAR is doing now? Sure, the racing may be artificial, but marketing-wise, it’s right up there with F1 (which is struggling with politics). So maybe this structure won’t be as bad for F1 as we think it is - so long as it’s led by Bernie or someone like him, and not corporate suits.
2. We want unified regulations - and that would’ve happened if Max left. As it is, he’s forcing the issue, and it’s forcing the bigger clubs to leave rather than work than someone they don’t respect anymore.
3. That’s right on point. With Max still around, this won’t just go away. Remember, McLaren escaped punishment the 1st time, but not the 2nd time round. Will this also be the case with Mosley?
Journeyer
It hadn’t occured to me that was how NASCAR works - I would rather it wasn’t Bernie running F1 purely because he appears to be the only person making any money from it!
I have been struck with another thought - what if Max does resign in 2009, and then realigns himself with Bernie and FOG? Where does that leave the FIA and his critics? (I wonder if this is Bernies get-out-of-jail offer?)
Hmmm… I think Bernie knows better than that. Because right now, he’s in a stronger position than Max, all the more so if he does resign by 2009.
Oh, Keith,
titlebar: Max Mosley loses FIA confidence vote
article title: Max Mosley wins FIA vote of confidence
:p
That’s the funniest typo ever! Fixing it now…
MUCH better. Oh, if the ADAC are withdrawing from the FIA, does this mean that the German GP is off? Or will they be just talking to Bernie and cut out the FIA - if that’s even possible?
Journeyer - no, the ADAC don’t organise the German Grand Prix.
Wait - they do the GP at the Nurburgring then? I know they run one of the 2, either that or Hockenheim. Which club is running it this year? Also, are there any potential clubs leaving the FIA holding GPs for the rest of the year?
Exactly my thoughts Journeyer with the ADAC withdrawing what does it do to the German GP.
Which begs the question if the ADAC does have control over the German GP then what of the other nations and their GP’s? Also can FOG/FOM fine groups such as ADAC if they block the F1 GP?
Could all these actions jeapordaise the upcoming GP’s in Montreal, UK and France?
Yes, ADAC run the Nürburgirng race (AvD - Automobile Club of Germany - do the German Grand Prix) so we shall see what becomes of the 2009 Nürburgirng race (whether it was going to be called the German Grand Prix or not is a matter of dispute, it cannot be called the European Grand Prix any more).
I doubt it will change anything for the UK as the MSA have already said they “respect” the decision.
ADAC do the Nurburgring?
well at least that the one good thing out of this mess.
the original typo, LOL
the chosen max picture, more LOL
FIA R.I.P.
Journeyer
I can see that Bernie will now have the stronger position, but there was speculation last week over his sudden change of position and not supporting his old Brabham pal in this.
There is still a possibility that all this is a move by the pair to get FOG into the position they want it to be, and the FIA unable to stop them.
All this publicity pointed at Max is stopping anybody looking too closely at where Bernie wants F1 to go in the next few years, and how he is doing it, and even where Max is taking the FIA.
What are Max’s Deputies there for if not to keep the President under control? What is going to happen now to the Manufacturers and the various Royal Families who have shunned Max recently? They could lose their invitations to future FIA events….
I’m beginning to think Max is intentionally running the FIA into the ground. I’m not sure who would benefit exactly, but my initial idea is Bernie, who might now proceed to take all of the control that the FIA has to himself in order to “save the sport” or something like that. This would of course be quite a high stakes game, but it wouldn’t be the first time.
Or, on the other hand, Max is just such an egomaniac that he can’t do anything else than try and hang on to his position of power. Which is now of course crumbling at its base, so he might be king of a castle where all the noblemen have left and only the village idiots still hang around with him…
This is, of course, excellent news. The many hysterical doomsayers (HDs) on this blog and elsewhere will be proved, once again, to be not only wrong but completely out of touch with the reality of how things really work. Thankfully, misguided and vindictive popular opinion has not been allowed to rule the day. Naturally, I am expecting a storm of virulent, ranting posts from said HDs decrying me; I wonder who will be first?
Never, Green Flag, I hope that you are proved correct and we are all wrong - for the good of motorsport!
good news bad news ? on one hand the clubs clearly separated Mosley’s private life from his ability to work, that is probably fine
what is not fine is, that this result very likely does not mean end to this whole mess.
Green Flag - Looking at one of the Mosley posts that garnered the greatest reaction I think it’s quite unfair to characterise many of the posts that are thoughtful and well-argued contributions as “hysterical” just because you disagree with them.
Incidently, Keith, has anybody spoken to Charlie Whiting about all this?
I am wondering since he was part of the Brabham take over of F1 from FISA, and now he is running the races for the FIA and imposing all the penalties.
Is he still friends with Bernie and Max? Is he pro-FIA or pro-FOG, or even pro-Manufacturers?
And is there anybody else still around from those times - there do seem to be some alarming parallels between then and now….
sweet, i’ve been asigned an alphanumerical name.
I shall now be known as HD31.
Journeyer shall be HD2, Keith HD1 (clearly).
Why is it that Mosley constantly strives for Transparency from business with the FIA yet never returns the transparency favours when he argues his point, over his decisions?.
DG also Herbie Blash who is currently the FIA’s deputy race director. He’s the guy who trys to stop the drivers from going and shaking the hands of the team after the race.
Although Herbie really doesn’t seem to want to. He clearly loves race drivers being excited to win. Shame to put him in that situation.
Sush, me, HD2, just behind Keith? Wow, I’m flattered.
But you do make a good point on Max and transparency. But then again, he never struck me as someone who practices what he preaches.
“The many hysterical doomsayers (HDs) on this blog and elsewhere will be proved, once again, to be not only wrong but completely out of touch with the reality of how things really work.”
I’ll reserve judgement on this at least until the dissenting clubs make a joint statement (which, chances are, they will) or something to that effect. The ADAC and AAA have publicly floated the possibility of leaving the FIA altogether, and that still won’t have a good effect - not just on motorsport, but on motoring as a whole.
What an anti cli-MAX! Why can’t this thing just go away!
Green Flag - Pot Kettle and all that. I sense a bit of Hysteria in your comments also you are implying that you are righteous enough suggest we are all hysterical and deluded on this site. We are all allowed to pass comment on Max’s position through such a medium the same as max is allow to express himself in his funny little activities without damaging his credibility.
With some of the big motoring associations threatening to leave, I wonder if we are going to be facing a new powers struggle in the sport?
Congratulations Mr. Mosley!
I am very happy that you have won the confidence vote….What happens in your private life is of no ones business….especially in a so-called 1st world society.
I was deliberately not mentioning the ‘transparency’ issue in case it was deemed ‘hysterical’.
Good point Sush, it appeared to me that not long after he said everything would be transparent, nobody could find out about anything at all!
I think here’s a point most people are missing: most of the people who want Max to go are not asking him to leave because of his ACTUAL actions, but rather because of the consequences of us discovering those actions. He is no longer able to command respect both inside and outside of the FIA. He is no longer able to dispense his actual duties, leaving almost all the work to his VPs, while he hides away or goes to dates in court. And as a result the FIA will not run properly if their leader is always questioned.
Just my two cents worth.
So far he was prevented from attending Bahrain, Spain and Turkey. He was back at Monte Carlo (where anything goes) but was excluded from official functions.
He is the face of the F-1 and is not welcome at F-1 events …
Not good for the sport, that’s for sure.
Question is that IF there is a mass withdrawal of the large auto organisations how much pressure would then be placed on the manufacturers? For instance if the second German motoring organisation pulls out what of Mercedes, Porsche, BMW and Audi - can they legally pull out of all the series they are involved in?
I don’t understand how this is different from the McLaren scandal. McLaren were not convicted of stealing information, but for damaging the sport.
I thought that is what was being voted on today as well, seeing if Max damaged the FiA. Its not a matter of what he did was illegal or not (it could be argued that Ron Dennis was not aware of the Ferrari information, and thus did nothing illegal) but how much he damaged the sport.
If Ron damaged the sport, then Max must have also damaged it, case closed. If nothing else he owes the FiA 100 million dollars.
WELL DONE MAX! GOOD ON YA! (i never thought i’d say that?) I could write a stinging vitriol on UK tabloids but can’t be bothered. They’re not worth it.
HD7 here……….
No one wants my opinion, but if they do….just read “Journeyer”, or “underdog” above…..
…as the a Polish poet once wrote….”life is a pain factory!”
I think the REAL question most of us want answered now is “is there any chance this story will just lay down and die and give us all peace?”. Answers on a postcard.