Motorsport boss Max Mosley has claimed Formula 1's peace deal could be jeopardised by continuing antagonism between him and the sport's teams.
He accused the F1 Teams' Association (Fota) of misleading the media after an agreement to end the sport's civil war.
"If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you must rectify your actions," Mosley said.
Mosley, who had said he would not stand for re-election in October, added that he now considered his "options open".
In the letter, written on Wednesday to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, the chairman of Fota, Mosley accused Fota of falsely stating he had behaved like a dictator and that he had been forced from office.
And he hinted that he might reconsider the deal that secured an end to the political row in the sport.
In that deal, Mosley abandoned his plans for a cost cap but secured the commitment of the teams to F1 until 2010 and agreed not to stand again for the FIA presidency in October.
"A fundamental part of [the deal] was that we would both present a positive and truthful account to the media," Mosley wrote.
"I was therefore astonished to learn that Fota has been briefing the press that Mr (Michel) Boeri (president of the FIA Senate) has taken charge of F1, something which you know is completely untrue; that I had been forced out of office, also false; and, apparently, that I would have no role in the FIA after October, something which is plain nonsense, if only because of the FIA statutes [which grant former presidents a place on the senate]."
In the letter, leaked to news agencies, he added: "There was no need for me to involve myself further in Formula 1 once we had a settlement.
"Equally, I had a long-standing plan not to seek re-election in October. It was therefore possible for me to confirm both points to you yesterday.
"Given your and Fota's deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open. At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office.
"After that it is the FIA member clubs, not you or Fota, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA."
Mosley demanded an apology at at a news conference held by Fota on Thursday.
There was no apology there, and Fota's members expressed a wish to have a neutral figure governing their sport, but Di Montezemolo did praise Mosley's tenure as FIA president.
"I have to say that after a month of confrontations, we are pleased to thank the president of the FIA for his decision to leave the FIA in October, for the work that he has done - particularly for safety because this was, and still is, a big priority in F1 and the sport," Di Montezemolo said.
"F1 has made a huge, huge improvement in safety. We want to thank the FIA and the World Council for the unanimous agreement (on Wednesday) to approve and accept Fota's proposals."
However, the Italian's efforts clearly failed to placate Mosley, who sent a subsequent letter to all the presidents of the FIA member clubs urging them to appoint a "strong president" in the wake of what he sees as bullying by Fota.
It follows calls from Fota vice-president on John Howett for Mosley successor to be "independent".
The inference was a man such as Jean Todt, currently favourite, would not be an ideal candidate as Mosley's successor given his prior length of service with Ferrari.
But in Mosley's letter to FIA member clubs on Friday, he wrote: "The question of FIA president is a matter exclusively for you and most definitely not for the vehicle manufacturers who make up Fota.
"To have an FIA president under the influence of the vehicle manufacturers would put at jeopardy all the excellent work our organisation... if nothing else, this attempt to tell FIA members who they should or should not elect demonstrates precisely why the FIA needs a strong president who is experienced and knowledgeable."
And the 70-year-old hinted again that he was prepared for further ructions with Fota, "even if this leads to difficulties in the sport", he wrote.
"No doubt we face a difficult period and this may well result in short-term problems in Formula 1.
"It is possible Fota will set up an independent series. That is their right, provided they do so under the International Sporting Code.
"But the Formula 1 world championship will continue to be run by the FIA as it has been for 60 years.
"The championship has had difficult times in the past, and no doubt will again in the future. But that is no reason to hand control to an outside body, still less one with little or no understanding of sporting ethics and under the control of an industry we have constantly to monitor."
Soucred from BBC
By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch
0 comments:
Post a Comment