After beating Jean-Marie Balestre in 1991, Max Mosley never had to face an opponent in an FIA election. But his successor will: this October Mosley’s preferred choice Jean Todt will stand against ‘independent candidate’ Ari Vatanen. But which is the right man for the job?
Max Mosley articles archive
Max Mosley will give up FIA presidency – but he wants Jean Todt in charge
Posted onMax Mosley’s latest promise to step down from the FIA presidency in October will inevitably be met with some scepticism. After all, he’s already gone back on similar promises made in 2004, 2008 and earlier this year. But this time we can be more confident that he actually is going, for two reasons. First, the … Continue reading Max Mosley will give up FIA presidency – but he wants Jean Todt in charge
Ari Vatanen: The man who would challenge Max Mosley (Video)
Posted onAri Vatanen has declared he will stand for election as president of the FIA in the October elections. Vatanen is well-known to motor racing fans having been a world rally champion and survived a serious crash in 1985. But his subsequent political career and passion for improving road safety also mark him out as a … Continue reading Ari Vatanen: The man who would challenge Max Mosley (Video)
Ecclestone & Mosley under fire (updated)
Posted onFresh evidence of the failures of the status quo in Formula 1 have emerged over the past few days. Whether it’s the rumours about Max Mosley’s close ally Alan Donnelly’s involvement with Manor, claims the prospective 2010 entrants were denied a slot unless they elected to use Cosworth power, or Bernie Ecclestone praising Adolf Hitler, … Continue reading Ecclestone & Mosley under fire (updated)
What has Max Mosley ever done for us?
Posted onAll right, all right! But, apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order… what have the Romans done for us? Like the Romans in Monty Python’s “The Life of Brian”, Max Mosley gets a fair bit of stick from … Continue reading What has Max Mosley ever done for us?
No split, no budget cap – and no Max Mosley. A victory for FOTA and F1?
Posted onI wasn’t expecting F1’s long-standing row to be resolved today any more than I had on the many other ‘deadline days’ which have come and passed with no resolution. But the decision from the World Motor Sports Council came remarkably swiftly: next year’s F1 championship will be run to rules broadly similar to this year. … Continue reading No split, no budget cap – and no Max Mosley. A victory for FOTA and F1?
Save F1 or stick with Mosley: the World Motor Sports Council’s choice (Updated)
Posted onToday’s World Motor Sports Council meeting was originally set to ratify the FIA’s planned entry list for 2010. But the failure of President Max Mosley to supply a list, and the declaration by eight of F1’s ten teams that they will form their own breakaway championship unless he steps aside, leaves the WMSC with a … Continue reading Save F1 or stick with Mosley: the World Motor Sports Council’s choice (Updated)
Mosley: F1 may go to Silverstone in 2010
Posted onOn the eve of the British Grand Prix FIA President Max Mosley has raised the prospect of the race returning to Silverstone in 2010 instead of moving to Donington Park. Speaking to the BBC Mosley said he thought it was very likely there would be a British Grand Prix next year – even if Donington … Continue reading Mosley: F1 may go to Silverstone in 2010
FIA and FOTA remain deadlocked on F1 governance and budget cap
Posted onNow the dust has settled following a day of remarkable developments we can understand why the two sides in the FIA-FOTA row remain deadlocked. The two sides have moved closer together on the matter of how deep cost cuts must be. But FOTA’s demand for reform of how F1 is governed has received no recognition … Continue reading FIA and FOTA remain deadlocked on F1 governance and budget cap
Is this F1’s worst crisis?
Posted onHardly a day passes now without some new development in F1’s latest political crisis. Formula 1 has had many similar rows in the past and, so far, it has managed to avoid disaster scenarios of teams withdrawing en masse and rival championships being formed. So how concerned should we be about FOTA’s refusal to accept … Continue reading Is this F1’s worst crisis?
Max Mosley is wrong. The only split F1 needs is a break away from him
Posted onMax Mosley has told the world that instead of reaching a compromise with the nine FOTA teams, he thinks they should leave F1: I say to them: If you want to draw up your own rules, then you can organise your own championship. But we have the Formula 1 championship. We draw up the rules … Continue reading Max Mosley is wrong. The only split F1 needs is a break away from him
Much advertised racing car hoax
Posted onMarch is the latest outfit to reveal it has lodged a bid to compete in F1 in 2010. The team has not been seen in Formula 1 since it optimistically sent two chassis to Kyalami for the 1993 South African Grand Prix, despite not being able to pay for a supply of engines. That brought … Continue reading Much advertised racing car hoax
Ferrari to present case against FIA
Posted onAs revealed on Friday, Ferrari today are attempting to prosecute the FIA in the French courts for, they claim, breaking the terms of their now-infamous 2005 agreement. The outcome of the trial could be crucial for the future of the sport, but most likely it will prove just another chapter in the latest F1 row … Continue reading Ferrari to present case against FIA
Stalemate: Ferrari taking FIA to court but who is in the right? (Poll)
Posted onToday’s meeting between the F1 teams representatives, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone failed to resolve the row over the 2010 regulations. Two hours into the meeting Max Mosley received a text message from his lawyer informing him that Ferrari were beginning legal action in France to block the new rules. The proceedings came to a … Continue reading Stalemate: Ferrari taking FIA to court but who is in the right? (Poll)
Talking budget caps on TV tonight
Posted onI’ve been invited to appear on Sky News’s Sky.com programme tonight to talk about – what else? – the budget caps row. If you’ve got Sky News tune in at 7pm tonight to see if I can explain budget capping, two-tiered regulations and FIA rules without confusing myself… I’ve been on the programme a couple … Continue reading Talking budget caps on TV tonight
The FIA must not let its row with Ferrari become a split that would destroy F1
Posted onThe Ferrari board confirmed today it will pull its team out of F1 if the FIA does not back down on its controversial plans for the 2010 rules. Toyota and Red Bull/Toro Rosso have already voiced the same objections and several F1 news sites are indicating that Mercedes, Renault and BMW are prepared to do … Continue reading The FIA must not let its row with Ferrari become a split that would destroy F1
Does McLaren’s suspended sentence signal an end to hostilities with the FIA?
Posted onFirst of all, thanks to everyone who posted updates on the previous article about McLaren getting a suspended sentence following the Hamilton/Trulli controversy. (As I mentioned on Twitter earlier, I’ve been out of the country for the last two days and have only just had chance to catch up on the news.) What caught my … Continue reading Does McLaren’s suspended sentence signal an end to hostilities with the FIA?
Will the F1 teams back a candidate in the FIA president election?
Posted onBefore the season began the F1 teams’ association (FOTA) declared they wanted to co-operate with the FIA, as regulators of F1, and Formula One Management, as the commercial owners, to work for the good of the sport. Luca Montezemolo declared: Every sport needs a strong political authority and regulator because we are not in a … Continue reading Will the F1 teams back a candidate in the FIA president election?
McLaren called before WMSC again: what will their punishment be?
Posted onSome developments are met with such little surprise they barely even qualify as ‘news’. The FIA summoning McLaren to appear before the World Motor Sports Council surely meets this criteria. The team are being called to explain why they misled stewards about Lewis Hamilton allowing Jarno Trulli past under the safety car in the closing … Continue reading McLaren called before WMSC again: what will their punishment be?
What’s the point of Formula 1?
Posted onTomorrow I’m being interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for a programme called "What’s the point of Formula 1?" They’re keen to hear opinions from passionate F1 fans about the state of the sport. So let’s have them!