Oliver WhiteFerrari are well known to have a close association with the FIA, and be it truthful or not, that is the perceived opinion. The governing body has made favourable rulings in the past towards the the sport’s current oldest team and the organisation has garnered many nicknames because of it. And it is this association that makes di Montezemolo’s words today seem a little odd. The Ferrari president has already questioned Max’s ongoing status as president, but today reiterated his concerns to the Italian media.
At Tuesday’s Extraordinary General Meeting, Mosley received a vote of confidence from 103 member clubs of the FIA, and therefore remained as president. However, since Tuesday a number of people within Formula One and the national motoring bodies have called for Max to stand down. Even Bernie Ecclestone has reiterated his stance on the issue, saying that Mosley may not be able to fulfil his duties effectively if those who are against him maintain their position.
It’s going to be difficult for him to act as a president of the FIA if the people who said before that they don’t want to meet with him maintain that position. Bernie Ecclestone.
Luca di Montezemolo spoke to Italian news agency ANSA earlier today and said that sometimes it is just better to simply leave.
I believe he himself should understand that at times it is necessary to say ‘I must leave the place for reasons of credibility’. Luca di Montezemolo.
Montezemolo has praised Mosley for his achievements as president of the organisation, but also understands that, for the better of Mosley’s reputation, he should probably resign his position. To reiterate this though is a little strange. di Montezemolo is normally the kind of person who will say his piece, put his thoughts out there, and then let everyone make an informed decision. Everyone usually being the FIA, the decision perhaps being as informed as Luca would like it to be.
However, to stress his point again leads me to think that Ferrari will gain from Mosley leaving. It is no secret that Jean Todt has been given the all-clear to run as president at the end of Mosley’s term, when he will supposedly stand down for definite. Of course, nothing is definite in Mosley’s world, but the approval from Max suggests that the former Ferrari team principal is a front-runner for the next president. Could it be that di Montezemolo is simply trying to accelerate the process?
Update: Luca di Montezemolo has since clarified his position on the Max Mosley saga. di Montezemolo said that he was pleased Max had received a vote of confidence and said it was up to Mosley himself to decide when he should step down.
I am happy that Max Mosley has been re-elected president of FIA. He has done excellent work for Formula 1 in recent years. With regard to the future, it will be entirely up to him to decide if and when he should take a step back. Luca di Montezemolo.
The circus continues !!
AAA should divorce itself from the FIA
Just another example on how $$$ rule in F1
The sport would be better for it if both Max and Bernie were gone !
It appears that the main issue is who has what dirt on who !
“Ferrari are well known to have a close association with the FIA, and be it truthful or not, that is the perceived opinion.”
Jean Todt who used to run Ferrari and is still on their board is Max’s personal choice as his successor. Marco Piccinini who used to run Ferrari and is still on their board is Max’s deputy appointed by Max himself. I think that qualifies as slightly more than a close association and a good deal more than a perceived opinion.
I know it is not much appreciated on most blogs these days but for the record I have to state some facts. I will neither comment or reply any further here, you can drop a comment on my blog if you want to.
There is no such thing as a “board” of the FIA. There is a General Assembly that comprises ALL members and this GA elects (amongt other bodies) for 4 years on ABSOLUTE majority a Committee, the WMSC and so on… (art9.4 of the FIA statutes)
So it should be OK. If it is not (well I might agree with that;-) it is not because of Mr X or Mr Y it is because something else is wrong and it can happen again with a completely renewed set of leaders.
If I am correct Jean Todt was representing the constructors in the WMSC so he was there because of the constructors not because of anybody else, and he still represents Ferrari in the FIA (Manufacturer’s Commission of the FIA).
I repeat again all positions in FIA are submitted to election with absolute majority. So I believe it is the responsability of the members of the Clubs to send to the FIA the proper persons with a mandate to change the statutes in order to avoid many of the troubles we have experienced in the recent years.
Shouting at X or Y without any proposal for a better system is not taking us anywhere is it?