Mosley misses start of 'brave new world'

With Mosley due to give a press conference at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit today, the news came through that he was only guaranteed a passage as far as Singapore, prompting him to go home in disgust!

Quite how this should happen to, presumably, a first class passenger travelling to a race that has an airline as an event sponsor, was the subject of a certain amount of conjecture in the Melbourne paddock.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis, who has been vocal in his opposition to the manner in which Mosley has imposed F1's new rules regime, joked at his team's annual media welcome: "You never know how useful it is having friends in high places! To be able to upgrade, downgrade and generally put people on stand-by..."

Mosley's absence somewhat knocked the wind from the sails of the world's media, which was anticipating a lively start to the year as Mosley aired his views today, followed by the scheduled appearance of Dennis and Sir Frank Williams at an FIA press conference tomorrow (Friday).