Jun 29, 2009

Mosley Bows out

By JR Nerad

It is a sad day all over the world for writers who cover Formula One racing. After yet another power struggle, FIA President Max Mosley has agreed to leave his position at the conclusion of his current term. While his tenure has been fraught with controversy -- and some would argue that he is leaving the sport in a poorer state than when he took the reins in 1993 -- one thing no one can argue about is the fact that Mosley was always good copy. From his rulings on matters of the sport to his personal peccadilloes, which are legend, Mosley was always good for a story. No matter where he went, what he did or what he said, it made news.

Now, writers across the globe fear that Formula One will replace him with a bland administrator. In fact, the Formula One Teams Association called for a “neutral successor” to Mosley, but what they really mean is a neutered successor. It is certain that FOTA is looking for someone who will rubber-stamp the opinions of the major teams rather than having a mind of his own. And say what you will about Max Mosley, he certainly has a mind of his own.

So how did FOTA get Mosley to finally run up the white flag? It was less their doing and more that Mosley, in his desire to improve the competitiveness of the sport, stumbled into an issue the big-money teams were just not going to waver on. That issue? Big money.

For the coming season, Mosley tried to institute a $65 million-per-team spending cap, complete with oversight that would be necessary to enforce it. FOTA -- a consortium that includes BMW Sauber, Brawn, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Renault, Toro Rosso and Toyota -- wanted absolutely none of that. They don’t want FIA meddling in their finances, and they certainly don’t want to make it easier for new teams to enter the sport. So they dug in their heels and threatened to create a new series. And this time, they apparently meant it.

So Mosley was forced to back down. The spending cap idea is dead, and Mosley will depart FIA when his term ends in October. That is, unless he decides to change his mind and run again. Don’t think that isn’t a possibility, and don’t think motorsports writers around the world wouldn’t cheer the news. Next Racing Rap>>