Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Mosley not expecting quick resolution

FIA president Max Mosley believes the row between the governing body and teams will not get resolved for some time, after blaming a power grab by Flavio Briatore for fuelling the current controversy

With motor racing's governing body poised to begin legal action next week against Ferrari and the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) over their bid to launch a breakaway series, Mosley sees no quick solution to the row.

However, he thinks there is no doubt that the teams will capitulate and sign up to F1 eventually.

"What will happen now is that this discussion will continue for a while and then at some point we will find that when it starts to get important to know what is actually happening, which won't be for some time, we will find some of the teams, the FOTA teams, will then come into the championship," he said in an interview with the BBC.

"Other teams will already be there. And how long that will take is very difficult to predict because people take entrenched positions and so on, but nobody wants this."

Mosley believes the stand off between teams and the FIA has been caused in part by the desire of individuals to take control of running the sport - and he singles out Renault boss Briatore in particular.

"It is not greed, it is more about power," he said about the row. "There are one or two individuals... well there is one individual who fancies himself as the Bernie [Ecclestone]. Whether he could do the job or not I don't know."

When asked to identify the individual he was referring to, Mosley said: "I think Flavio Briatore sees himself as the Bernie. He is fully entitled to that view, but I think Bernie would feel if he wants my business, or CVC's business, then he should come and buy it, he can't just take it.

"As far as the governing body is concerned, I don't know whether any of them actually want to make the rules, because they can never agree on the rules. And when they do agree on them, they disagree on what they mean.

"The famous double diffuser was entirely drawn up by the teams and then we had to settle who was right in their interpretation of the rules which they had drawn up. There is not a lot of future in that. This is what it is all about - certain people would like certain positions and you can understand that, but there are correct and incorrect ways to get it."

Speaking about his feelings on the legal action that the FIA is about to launch against teams, Mosley said: "The thing is we have got very good legal advice and it is very strong and very clear, so we are very confident."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Montoya: Split would 'kill' F1
Next article Hamilton proud to be in Silverstone lore

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe