Formula 1 News

Bernie Ecclestone: “Max Mosley should stand down” 

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph newspaper, FOM Chief Bernie Ecclestone has called FIA President Max Mosley to resign from his role within F1′s governing body following the sex scandal revealed by the News of the World tabloid. “He should stand down out of responsibility for the institution he represents, including F1,” Ecclestone told the newspaper. “Everyone who I speak to in a position of authority across F1 rings me to say he should leave. It is regretful that he has not made that decision,” he continued.

“Since the story broke I have been under enormous pressure from the people who invest in Formula One, sponsors and manufacturers, over this issue. They point out that as a chief executive or chief operating officer of a major company they would have gone either immediately, or within 24 hours, in the same circumstances. They cannot understand why Max has not done the same,” he added.

“Max is a strong man. Once he makes a decision he sticks to it. He feels that there is still important work to do at the FIA. But in my view there is a way to accomplish this and retire at the end of the year at the FIA general assembly in November. I would be happy to sit at his side to help him to achieve that.”

“The general feeling is that people would no longer be comfortable speaking to him in the same way. I have spoken to Max about this and advised him to stand down in November and not to go to the vote next Tuesday,” he concluded.