African body calls for Ecclestone apology

In the wake of FIA president Max Mosley's victory in the vote of confidence by the General Assembly earlier this week, Ecclestone suggested that the outcome would make little difference to Mosley's ability to do his job.

He told The Daily Express: "Will Prince Albert of Monaco hold a cocktail party for Max now? Just because he got a few more votes from Africa doesn't mean King of Spain will want to shake his hand."

Those remarks have angered African representatives within the FIA and a letter has been sent to Ecclestone demanding he retracts his comments.

D N Njoroge, the director general of the Automobile Association of Kenya, made it clear in the letter sent on behalf of the FIA African Council that he felt Ecclestone's comments were unneccesary.

The letter, a copy of which has been seen by autosport.com, states: "There is an article in the Daily Express of 4th June 2008 on the FIA Extraordinary General Assembly proceedings where Africa has been focused. The facts are, Africa has 36 clubs and even if all the clubs had voted one way or the other, the end result would not have changed.

"With regard to the remarks, "Just because he got a few more votes from Africa ...", the African clubs take great exception in what is clearly derogatory, demeaning and uncalled for attacks on Africa.

"In more than 30 years of my close relationship with AIT/FIA, this is the first time to come across such subtle and thinly veiled attacks based on ethnicity and we expect withdrawal and apology to Africa if there was no motive behind these remarks."

Ecclestone has stated that he believes Mosley should step down later this year to prevent damage to himself or the FIA.

He told The Independent : "For me it's a difficult situation because I run the Formula One Group of companies, and the teams - the manufacturers - are violently opposed to him.

"I knew he would win (the vote), there was no way he could lose. But I still don't think it's good for him, or for the FIA, to be honest."