FIA welcomes Ecclestone letter

The FIA has said it welcomes Bernie Ecclestone's explanation of the state of play between Formula One's commercial rights holders and the governing body that was revealed in a letter published on Friday

Ecclestone has written a letter to the presidents of all the national automobile clubs claiming the Mosley's recent fears of the FIA losing control of F1 if he was voted out of office could have been interpreted wrongly.

Ecclestone stated in the letter that he was happy for the FIA to continue in its regulatory role, and that there was no question of him or his financial backers CVC Capital Partners wanting to take over the running of the sport.

Although most are interpreting Ecclestone's letter as a move to dismiss Mosley's fears of a 'doomsday' takeover by Ecclestone and CVC, the FIA has said it believes the letter shows an openness to discuss the future of the sport.

An FIA spokesman said: "The FIA welcomes the constructive approach the Commercial Rights Holder is now taking in the current negotiations."

Ecclestone has already said in Monaco that he believes Mosley was using the fears about the future as a 'smokescreen' to divert attention away from the interest surrounding his private life.

Although Mosley has made his first appearance in an F1 paddock at Monaco since the News of the World first revealed details of his private life, he has deliberately kept a low profile.

He is unlikely to speak to the media at all over the weekend, having declined the chance to speak on Thursday, and will spend most of his time in private meetings at his own offices.