Ferrari Mailing List: Max Attacks

[Ken Rentiers (rentiers]

F1: National Clubs Plead for Mosley Resignation

Written by: RACER & autosport.com
RACER Magazine   http://www.racer.com/speedtv
05/29/2008 - 08:04 AM
Monte Carlo, Monaco

Mosley: under siege. (LAT Photo) » More Photos

A week ahead of the “confidence vote” that FIA President Max Mosley  
hopes will help him hold on to his position, 24 national automotive  
clubs from 22 countries have written a joint letter requesting that  
the Briton step down as leader of the international governing body of  
motorsport.

All of the FIA-affiliated national clubs form the electorate which  
will decide Mosley’s permanence via the confidence vote on an  
extraordinary meeting on June 3. The 24 clubs that signed today’s  
letter represent the USA, Singapore, Germany, Finland, Canada, Brazil,  
Denmark, France, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary,  
Israel, Austria, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland.

"We strongly believe that the only respectable way forward for the  
FIA, and for yourself, is to have an orderly transition, with an  
immediate agreement and your commitment to step down," the letter said.

"The FIA is in a critical situation. Its image, reputation and  
credibility are being severely eroded. Every additional day that this  
situation persists, the damage increases. There is no way back.

“Your intention to remain until the end of your term in 2009,

 in spite of the severe damage being inflicted to the FIA, could  
imply putting personal considerations before the interests of the FIA  
and its member clubs."

Mosley’s stance since the scandal triggered by aNews of the World  
report about his private life has focused on the fact that his exit at  
the present moment, when no Concorde Agreement officially governs the  
relationship between F1’s teams and the sport’s commercial rights  
holder, Bernie Ecclestone, could lead to division and damage of F1.  
But the clubs reject that notion.

"We take note of the letter sent by B. Ecclestone to all member clubs,  
stating his support for the FIA as the sole body governing  
international motor sport and his willingness to continue working with  
the FIA, irrespective of the result of the Extraordinary General  
Assembly on June 3. We believe that his explanations put in due  
perspective the state of the relationship between the FIA and the  
Formula 1 world, taking away relevance to many of the arguments you  
make in your letter to justify your continuity. We take note of his  
point on the importance that the FIA be led by a credible and  
respected president."