Max Mosley wins FIA vote of confidence

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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.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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88 comments on “Max Mosley wins FIA vote of confidence”

  1. caren’t say that this was really unexpected…

  2. He should proceed and do the honorable thing by resigning. But Max is not a honorable man.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. I agree with Oliver.

  6. I agree with Oliver too. Max hangs on – but at what price? I wonder what the dissenting clubs have to say about this.

  7. 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.

  8. This is his principle to life, I think: It is too easy, when alive, to make perfectly horrible mistakes… So it goes….

  9. sChUmAcHeRtHeGrEaTeStEvEr
    3rd June 2008, 12:46

    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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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?

  12. It was predictable… Now we will see at least one year of stalling and retaliations…

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. 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?

  16. 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.

  17. 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?

  18. 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

  19. 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?

  20. 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?)

  21. 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

  22. That’s the funniest typo ever! Fixing it now…

  23. 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?

  24. Journeyer – no, the ADAC don’t organise the German Grand Prix.

  25. 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?

  26. 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?

  27. 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.

  28. ADAC do the Nurburgring?

    well at least that the one good thing out of this mess.

  29. the original typo, LOL
    the chosen max picture, more LOL

  30. William Wilgus
    3rd June 2008, 14:42

    FIA R.I.P.

  31. 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….

  32. 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…

  33. 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?

  34. Never, Green Flag, I hope that you are proved correct and we are all wrong – for the good of motorsport!

  35. 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.

  36. 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.

  37. 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….

  38. 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?.

  39. 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.

  40. 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.

  41. Scott Joslin
    3rd June 2008, 17:16

    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?

  42. 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.

  43. 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!

  44. 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.

  45. 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.

  46. 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?

  47. 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.

  48. 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.

  49. theRoswellite
    3rd June 2008, 18:15

    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!”

  50. Robert McKay
    3rd June 2008, 19:54

    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.

  51. Dan M, of course this is slightly different to the McLaren scandal, no one threatened to quit over that. And no one did quit.

    but this, now ADAC have quit, and AAA will do too.

    I say its put the sport into even MORE disrepute.

  52. At This night at FIA headquarters… The Big party! The Whipping noise already can be heard…

  53. Ummmm…big party, ok… with some leather dressed guests?
    Seems to be fun!!

  54. HD-Some-Random-Number here. There are already consequences of Max’s actions – Germany has suspended its international co-operation until a replacement leader is found and elected and America is considering following suit. America has a leader (in Robert Darblenet) who has sufficient respect among his fellows that he could lead a secession if he wanted to. I doubt it will be in the next month or so, but I can see that ether a full secession or a quiet rebellion will be present before the summer ends.

    Expect Max to have an extremely uncomfortable year or so (starting from whenever the rebellion gains traction) before being voted out in the full 2009 election.

  55. Robert, I would answer NO. But you can’t put a postcard on the internet very easily.

  56. Green Flag, Max may well be the best person to lead the FIA till next year – I don’t know enough about the politics or about potential replacements to argue against Max on this basis. For the record, I accept the vote for what it was and hope that whatever happens henceforth is for the good of F1 and motor racing in general.

    Your charaterisation of others as hysterical seems a bit hypocritical to me, however. In particular, your labelling of others as ‘biased’ got me thinking. What *exactly* do you mean by ‘biased’?

  57. Keith, what you call “thoughtful and well-argued contributions” are largely the confused ramblings and muddled thinking borne of mass self-righteousness, moral indignation, and, yes, hysterical animosity towards Mosley. Do I disagree with them? Of course, and thus far events support my stand. The majority is seldom right, merely noisy. Max is 68 years old and will likely retire before he’s seventy, on his own terms and when he decides the time is right. After devoting much of his life to motorsport at the highest level – a contribution few of his detractors can claim, certainly none on this blog – this seems, at least to me, fair and proper. I think, Keith, that it’s time for you to calm your many readers and have them focus on the sport itself – the cars, drivers, races – and the rest of what promises to be a great F1 season.

  58. Spodo, you surprise me with your ability to be rational; well done. As to your assertion that I’m hypocritical, in what way? That I don’t like anyone being hounded or bullied from office by mob action? That I’ve wavered in my support of Mosley in that I believe Nazism was not involved in his admittedly ill-considered afternoon pastime? That I believe Max has done a darn good job as FIA president and deserves to decide himself when he retires? As to “biased”, you’ll find the answer in my earlier post, # 57.

  59. Given that Max has already put in a last-minute rule change on the bridge wings that gives Ferrari, BMW and Force India a clear advantage over their immediate rivals for no good reason, I think he is already acting in contravention to Green Flag’s hopes. Max was a good president, but isn’t acting like a good president now and hasn’t for about five years.

  60. Alianora – I haven’t had a chance to study the bridge-wing ruling but I’ve always thought that its inherent design is prone to flexing – it’s a very long, narrow, thin unsupported element in a critical airflow area – which would be in contravention of the rules. If Ferrari and BMW – 2 of the top 3 teams – can do without the bridge-wing so can the others.

  61. HD666 signing in.

    To be honest I kind of suspected this would be the outcome. When you fill your ranks with lackeys, they tend to back you up.

    I had hoped that sanity would prevail, but alas, another dream shattered.

    *sigh*

    HD666 signing out.

  62. Drop the condescension, Green Flag. Your opinions aren’t any more important than anyone else’s, they’re just different. You claim your side of the argument won because it is right, but it won because Max controls the smaller voters with money. Every major member came out against him, but they, despite their size, only have one vote. That’s the thing about politics, whoever controls the playing field can win. Kennedy used the mafia to win. Did winning make him right?

  63. Arnet – this is the real world and winning is winning. And the losers – this includes you – always find “valid” excuses as to why they lost. Thank you for providing them.

  64. Green Flag, your arrogance is only exceeded by your pomposity. Max may have won the battle but the war is far from over. Just as you would continue to argue Max’s “rights” if he were ousted, we (Call me HD-forever) reserve the right to continue with our claims to validity.

    Hitler won battles before losing the war and nearly exterminating his own country; that will be Max’s legacy with the FIA if he doesn’t resign, and soon.

  65. History repeats itself GeorgeK!

    Max won, motorsports lost.
    Expect Japanese motoring interests to follow the lead of the Germans and Americans.

    Who wants to sit next to Max at the dinner table??
    How to do business if you cannot decide who sits where at the table?

    I hope this was just a battle, i need hope for the war.

  66. GeorgeK – And your rudeness is only exceeded by your rudeness. And your lack of understanding is only exceeded by your ignorance. And nothing I can say will help you become smarter because you’re limited by your limitations. Your so-called war is over because Mosley will go when he’s good and ready to go. He’s shown that he’s not about to buckle under to the likes of you. So you had better accept it because that’s the way it is. Or you may continue to reside in your fool’s paradise and deny reality.

  67. Keith – On re-reading my last post (# 66) I may have over-reacted to GeorgeK’s insulting comments and thus lowered myself to his level. My apologies to you and other posters. Nevertheless, I must protest that, once again, someone who ought to know better has compared Mosley to Hitler. Shameful.

  68. William Wilgus
    4th June 2008, 4:32

    Journeyer #44: Exactly! That’s the real issue.

  69. Green Flag, I don’t think any of us want to see/hear about this situation any longer. But as long as the events continue- including Max’s lawsuit and the motor clubs refusing to do business with him- I think all media outlets that cover F1 owe it to us to keep us up to date on the developments. We all love the sport here, and should know how these events will impact F1 in the short and long run. I don’t know where you are at, but here in the US the vote was front-page news on many mainstream sports websites, and we all want to know It’s continued impact on the sport.

    In terms of my personal opinion on the situation, I think it may be possible that some of the smaller clubs did feel the need to back Max on this one. That’s only speculation, and such a need could perhaps vary if some clubs had stronger connections to him- and therefore more to lose if he was voted out- than others. We all hate it, but inside politics has a role in every election, from our town councils to the FIA, and perhaps something like that worked It’s way in here.

    My stance on the issue remains as it always has- I salute the years of good service and many advancements Max has given to motor racing, but his stay in office is driving apart the world motoring community, and he can do everyone- including himself- a huge plus by stepping down and pursuing his legal action from his retired life.

  70. Gman – I agree almost completely with your analysis, save this: for the sake of his dignity – and, yes every man deserves to keep some – and in recognition for his service and contributions to the FIA and motor sports Mosley be permitted to resign in his own time, which he will, sooner than later, if not pressed. He understands the present situation better than most but pressuring him makes him bloody-minded and few do bloody-minded better than Max. Like Hillary Clinton he won’t go until he’s ready, and he certainly won’t be pushed out.

  71. Journeyer #44: Exactly! That’s the real issue.

    Green Flag – yes, what Max does in his own time is his own business, as we are a civilised nation.
    Surely this means that Max, as a civilised man, would want to keep his private court case away from his public face as FIA President?
    We, as HDs, are querying his actions in wanting to keep everything in the public eye, since surely he can see it is damaging to his reputation, and the FIAs, and World Motorsport.
    Is this Max wanting to hold onto power and stop his opposition gaining control before he is ready to go?
    You will say that he is innocent until proven guilty, and quite rightly so, but in most other business scenarios, and political scenarios too, it has been safer for even the innocent to step down from positions of power to enable the organisation to contnue its job – look at all the scandals that rock the football world.
    I am glad that you continue to put your arguments forward, thats what this blog is for, but today the BBC News is reporting of the possible breakup of the FIA, as we discussed here yesterday. Are you going to codemn them in the same breath as you do to us?

  72. Green Flag – re: comment 67. I accept your apology and thank you for offering it in good grace. In future if you feel you have been insulted in these pages do drop me a line via the contact form – and that of course goes for every commenter on this blog.

  73. My god, we are all too blind to see the obvious!!
    Max got caught in some nice SM action, and what he does now of course causes pain on both his and the other sides. He already showed that he likes to give and receive, now he can openly live out his fantasies in his work! Aaaah, the sweet pain, he must be thinking right now! :D

    GF, so tirelessly work from the US to right all the wrongs being caused by ignorant and hysterical people who dare to oppose the “Spanked One”.
    Now I’ve been questioning for a while now how you feel so passionately about this issue, especially the part where SM is being condoned as something bad.
    Does it make you feel bad to see a fellow like Max being punished for what goes on in his own four walls?
    Does what is being said about SM reflect badly on your own life?
    Now, I have no problem with people who see pain as a pleasure, so you can whisper it in my ear if you like…
    Or even better, I could beat the truth out of you, Max Mosley style! I hope you speak German…

  74. Green Flag, I and others have found some of your posts hysterical (though no more than some of the posts of others, I may add) so your accusations of hysteria show you hypocrisy.

    On Mosley – I repeat you may be *right* about him. But I find your accusations of bias baseless. I presume by bias you mean “muddled thinking borne of mass self-righteousness, moral indignation, and, yes, hysterical animosity towards Mosley”. I disagree with this. Many of those against Mosley have admitted that they disliked Mosley even before the scandal – because they did not like the decisions he made in office. Their animosity is not borne of self righteousness or moral indignation but of their perception that Max has done a bad job. On this they may be wrong and you may be right (that Max has in fact been a good President). But, based on your definition, you are wrong to call them biased.

    You may instead call certain people biased because they are calling for Max’s head based on their perception of his competence and not because of the facts of the scandal. But on that basis, you too would be biased because you want him stay because of your perception of his competence, and not because of the scandal (which, you must admit, has not been among the many good things Max has done for the FIA). Just because people have different perceptions from yours, it does not mean they are biased. Why can’t they merely be wrong?

    One possible way in which people could be biased is through prejudice based on his family history. But I have seen only limited evidence of that here – many people have *clearly stated they dislike Max because they think he has done a bad job*. Feel free to believe you are right and they are wrong about this, but before I can accept any of your accusations of bias, I still require clarification of your *exact* definition of the word.

    Looking at it another way, NONE of those who thought Mosley incompetent prior to the scandal are now thinking that the scandal has made him competent. But you seem to accuse all such people as biased, so let’s ignore them. What about the entire set of people who thought he was competent prior to the scandal? Do ALL of these still think so? No – at least some of his supporters have deserted him. Are these individuals biased too? I wouldn’t say so. You may argue that they are *wrong* to desert Mosley because he remains the best man for the job. But not everyone who is wrong is necesarily biased.

  75. I’m very pleased that Max won the vote. Never was and still do not agree with what he did , but the MANNER in which it was exposed is where the problem lies. If he had been voted against , it would be sending a clear message out across the world that it’s OK to invade someone’s privacy and use it to destroy them with. Surely , if Max was really that bad for the FIA / F1 , after so long , he would have been voted out. My feeling is , he and the rest who voted for him , are after all more interested in regulating motorsports and keeping it safe , as opposed to those who just see the money and nothing else , hence have become a “thorn” in their sides , and they will , as they have already proved , go to any extent to get what they want. So , Max , if you happen to “stumble” across my little note one day , I just want , as a true motorsport and especially F1 fan , to congratulate you for being a long time leader of an organisation that has been instrumental in turning a once potentially deadly game to a safe but still highly entertaining sport. May you be blessed with many more good years , and hopefully one day find the salvation us “sinners” so much desire.

  76. “Surely , if Max was really that bad for the FIA / F1 , after so long , he would have been voted out.”

    I disagree with this, when one gains great power the first thing they do is to ensure that they do not lose that power which is what Max did when he introduced the majority ruling factor into the FIA. (I am sure he brought that in but I might be wrong).

    Also please do not forget that the safety issues that Max brought in were due to his own failings in 1994.

  77. GF: It’s funny how you make our argument for us. Hillary/Max, the wrong person for the job.

  78. “Max Mosley, the disgraced FIA president, was able to stay in his post through the support of national bodies that represent just 5% of the organisation’s membership, it has been calculated”
    http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_3647896,00.html

    Speaking to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday evening, Ecclestone denied that Mosley’s victory will make it any easier for him to return to full flight as FIA president.”There were many people who didn’t want to speak to him before. I can’t think they will want to speak to him now as a result of what has happened.”Nothing has changed in that respect. Just because he gets a few clubs from Africa voting for him will not make the king of Spain want to shake his hand,” Ecclestone added.Telegraph writer Kevin Garside also derided Mosley’s confidence victory, pointing out that many of those who voted for him were “from Eastern Europe, Africa and the developing world”

    http://www.feedmef1.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10261

  79. Agreed Rabi, what greater power can this guy have than to openly humiliate himself; have more than half of the competitive racing people shun and avoid him; and yet manage to hold onto his office.

    It’s disgraceful, corrupt, and totally self serving. Look at the picture of Mosley Kieth attached, if that is not the look of a raving lunatic than I don’t what is.

    Max has effectively given the single digit salute to the WORLD, and no doubt will wreak havoc against his perceived “enemies”.

    Oh GF, your “brilliant” riposte to my comment (#66) was hardly enlightening. Your apology should have been directed at your lack of creativity as opposed to “offending” anyone. Give yourself a couple of extra lashes in your next S&M session with Herr Mosley.

  80. George K , comment #79 , one error made “to OPENLY humiliate himself ?” I understood it happened in private , with a SECRET camera in the place ie. he was completely set up ? or have I missed something ?

  81. @Jean – thats the point I am trying to make:
    Was he set up? In which case we will find out who by when it goes to court….
    Or is there something else going on at the FIA? Since Max surely knew before he called the vote what the reaction of ADAC and others might be…..

  82. Here is Autosport’s Dieter Rencken’s account of what happened in the meeting:

    According to sources Mosley twice alluded to the 100-year agreement as part of his defence before the General Assembly: first by suggesting that the invasion of privacy which saw his recreational activities outed were an act of terrorism against him and the FIA, and that any renegotiation would cost the FIA upwards of €200,000 ($300,000/£150,000) in legal fees.

    By implication, the only party with an interest in damaging the FIA would be one with a vested interest in the FIA, and who else – apart from the FIA itself – has a vested interest in the body but the CRH?

    […]

    So heavily did Mosley harp on the terrorism angle that the vote went overwhelmingly 103:55 in his favour, with but seven abstentions and four invalid papers. Enough said.

    (Full article here – subscription required)

    As Rencken goes on to explain, the cost of the legal fees referred to by Mosley substantially exceeds the cost of holding the general assembly. The Times estimated it as being around £1m.

  83. Keith, you mean the assembly costs exceed the legal costs? I’m a bit confused, shouldn’t it be the other way round?

  84. Yes you’re right the assembly costs are much greater than the legal costs. My mistake!

  85. I’m sorry Keith, you are going to have to explain that a bit more before it makes sense:

    1. what 100 year agreement, and between who?
    2. how does an attack on an individual require a renegotiation of it?
    3. why will this require legal fees?
    4. who,or what is CRH?
    5. is he legally allowed to declare an attack on himself as an attack on the FIA?

  86. Max is using the word terrorism in this affair! How funny is that!! Seriously, I think this will go down as one of the most comical affairs in history, both the affair itself and then his defence coupled with crazy allegations…
    It’s hilarous!! Now as nobody really seems to be stepping up to get rid of Max and prevent further damage to motorsport as a whole (except the ADAC and AAA in some smallish steps), I’ll just lean back and watch the coming events destroy even more than the events up to know already have. Should be an interesting show!!

  87. Jean, comment #80: The open humiliation is 100% his, regardless of how it came to light. And as Max has previously stated, where the evidence comes from is secondary to the evidence being accurate. Oh, that doesn’t apply to himself of course, just McLaren and anyone he feels deserves a good paddling.

    If you were the head of a major corporation would you like to have dinner with Max and report back to your board of directors what a charming character he seems to be, as opposed to the S&M despot he actually is?

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