Mosley slams FOTA behaviour
25 June 2009
In another dramatic twist of events, FIA president Max Mosley has said that he is reassessing whether to step down from the job. With a peace deal seemingly struck between the governing body and FOTA on Wednesday, Mosley has explained how the latter has made 'deliberate attempts' to confuse the media over the matter.
As Wednesday's news looked to have finally brought an end to the ongoing war of words between the two parties and therefore clearing FOTA's threat of a breakaway series, the FIA published the full 13-team line-up for the 2010 World Championship. However, having deciding not to stand for re-election at the end of his current term, Mosley has now stated that FOTA presentation of information was delivered in such a manner than the media has been 'deliberately confused'.
'Given your FOTA's deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open,' Mosley wrote in a letter to FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo, seen by the RaceFax website. 'At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office. After that it is the FIA member clubs, not you or FOTA, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA.' Mosley's mention of 'member clubs' refers to the various motorsport bodies of each country, such as the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) in the United Kingdom.
The FIA president went on to state that, having believed that more openness would be given from both organisations, FOTA has already broken ranks. 'We made a deal yesterday in Paris to end the recent difficulties in Formula 1,' Mosley wrote. 'A fundamental part of this was that we would both present a positive and truthful account to the media.
I was therefore astonished to learn that FOTA has been briefing the press that Mr Boeri (president of FIA senate) has taken charge of Formula 1, something which you know is completely untrue; that I had been forced out of office, also false; and, apparently, that I would have no role in the FIA after October, something which is plain nonsense, if only because of the FIA statutes.
Furthermore, you have suggested to the media that I was a 'dictator', an accusation which is grossly insulting to the 26 members of the World Motor Sport Council who have discussed and voted all the rules and procedures of Formula 1 since the 1980s, not to mention the representatives of the FIA's 122 countries who have democratically endorsed everything I and my World Motor Sport Council colleagues have done during the last 18 years.'
With this in mind, it is clear that the FIA and FOTA remain far from agreement with the sport's future still hanging in the balance. 'If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you and FOTA must immediately rectify your actions,' Mosley warned di Montezemelo and FOTA. 'You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements. You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology at your press conference this afternoon.
Formula 1 is run entirely by our 25-strong team without any help from me or any other outsider. There was no need for me to involve myself further in Formula 1 once we had a settlement. Equally, I had a long-standing plan not to seek re-election in October. It was therefore possible for me to confirm both points to you yesterday.'
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