Max Mosley has resisted pressure to stand again as FIA president and will back Frenchman Jean Todt to succeed him after 16 years in charge of world motorsport.
The 69-year-old Mosley announced last month that he wouldn’t seek a fifth term after brokering a deal with the Formula One Teams Association to avert a rival series. However, he then said in a subsequent newspaper interview that he might reconsider that decision.
Mosley said on Wednesday he received ”almost 100 messages from FIA member clubs urging me to think again” but that he felt it was
time move on.
”Extremely grateful though I am for all the letters, e-mails and messages I have received, I have decided to reconfirm my decision.
”I will not be a candidate in October,” Mosley wrote in a letter to the FIA membership.
Mosley has been the president of the FIA, the international automobile federation which governs Formula One racing, since 1993.
”From a personal point of view, it would be very difficult for me to change my mind and stand again,” Mosley said. ”I began some months ago to rearrange my family life with effect from next October. I also informed senior FIA staff that I would not be a candidate.
”To continue now would greatly complicate my domestic arrangement and be inconsistent with my obligations to my family, particularly after our recent loss. Also, I have felt for some time that I would like to work less. After all, I will be 70 next year.”
Former Ferrari team principal Todt is yet to officially announce his candidacy in the October election. Only former world rally champion Ari Vatanen has announced he will be in the ballot.
”I believe the right person to head that team would be Jean Todt,” Mosley said. ”Jean is unquestionably the outstanding motorsport manager of his generation and arguably of any generation.
”If he agrees to stand, I think he would be the ideal person to continue but also to extend the work of the past 16 years. He can be relied on in all areas where the FIA is active. I very much hope you will give him your support.” — AFP
