Mosley hints at U-turn as row heats up
EMBATTLED motorsport chief Max Mosley yesterday lashed out at recent criticism and threatened to go back on his decision to stand down later this year.
Mosley’s comments came on the eve of today’s potentially explosive meeting of the sport’s powerbrokers in Paris and are sure to inflame the bitter row raging over the future of formula one.
The 69-year-old said last year he would not stand for election again when his current term as president of governing body the FIA expires in October. But as F1’s leading teams plot a breakaway in protest at Mosley’s plans to slash costs, he hinted he could make a U-turn.
In a letter to all FIA member bodies, Mosley wrote: “In light of the attack on the mandate you have entrusted to me, I must now reflect on whether my original decision not to stand for re-election was indeed the right one.
“It is for the FIA membership, and the FIA membership alone, to decide on its democratically elected leadership, not the motor industry and still less the individuals the industry employs to run its formula one teams.”
Mosley said he was preparing legal action against the rebel teams, which include Ferrari, current championship leaders Brawn GP and McLaren, home of Britain’s Lewis Hamilton.’
Today’s meeting of the World Motor Sports Council could be even more fiery if, as expected, Ferrari president and rebels’ ringleader Luca di Montezemolo attends.