Max's PR campaign to keep his job begins

Saturday 17th May 2008

With less than three weeks to go before the General Assembly vote, Max Mosley has warned the FIA that its risks losing control of F1 if he is sacked.

Mosley's position as the head of the FIA has become increasingly untenable. He suffered a huge blow to his chances of staying on as president earlier this week when it was revealed that the Monaco royal family did not want to be in his company at next weekend's race.

This means that Mosley's official FIA role will be filled by deputy president Marco Piccinini for the weekend. The 68-year-old will also not be attending the weekend's post-race gala dinner, one of the biggest events on the F1 calendar.

However, while this doesn't look good for Mosley, the Brit has come out swinging, writing to motorsport club presidents, warning them of the dangers of sacking him.

In a letter seen by Autosport, Mosly revealed that he, on behalf of the FIA, is currently fighting with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and financial backers CVC for control of Formula One.

And according to his letter, he reckons it would be "irresponsible, even a breach of duty, to walk away from (them).

"We are in the middle of a renegotiations of the 100 year commercial agreement between the FIA and the Formula One Commercial Rights Holder (CRH). In effect, this agreement governs Formula One.

"The CRH originally asked us to accept changes to the agreement in order to reduce the CRH's liability to tax. These we can probably concede.

"But the CRH has also now asked for control over the F1 regulations and the right to sell the business to anyone - in effect to take over F1 completely. I do not believe the FIA should agree to this.

"To do so would be to abandon core elements of the FIA's patrimony including, for example, our ability to protect the traditional grands prix.

"We would also be weaker financially but, even more importantly, we would put at risk the viability of the FIA as the regulatory authority of international motor sport and lose a valuable communication platform for the wider interests of the organisation."

He raised concerns that his departure may result in the FIA being frozen out of decisions regarding F1's rule making. And this, he believes, could have a severe impact on F1's future.

"In my view, we should only sign a new Concorde Agreement if it reinforces the authority of the FIA and deals properly with the major financial crisis which appears imminent in F1," he said.

"Costs have gone out of control, income is insufficient and major manufacturers are in difficulty with their core businesses. Only with fair and realistic financial arrangements will we avoid losing more teams."

Mosley continued by asking if he was to be thrown out of the FIA in the June 3rd meeting who would replace him as head of motorsport's governing body.

"Anyone could stand and there would be no list to stabilise the process and ensure that each candidate had the support of a real cross-section of FIA member clubs," he added.

"During the two to four month election period, the complex negotiations (with the CRH)....would necessarily slow or even cease.

"A new president would then take over with no knowledge of the background and, worse, might perhaps have been elected with the support of the very people with whom we are negotiating."

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