Ego Wars: FIA Vs FOTA

Both parties want their respective candidates to take the role of the FIA presidency next year.

Max Mosley takes a step back from the ongoing ego wars between FIA and FOTA consequently creating ugly cracks and fissures in Formula 1. Mosely has now confirmed for the third time now that he would not stand for re-election in October this year for the FIA presidency.

Mosley will be leaving the FIA helm similar to his predecessor, the late Jean-Marie Balestre. Balestre, a Frenchman, had his own set of controversies running parallel to the FIA-FOTA dispute. Balestre was involved in the FISA-FOCA war for the control of Formula 1 back in the early 80’s.

Balestre was not expected to be re-elected for the FIA presidency and his latter years in the role was involved with a clash with the McLaren prodigy, Ayrton Senna. Senna had blasted Balestre claiming that the 1989 season was fixed to let a fellow Frenchman, Alain Prost, to take the title. Senna was disqualified in an incident with Prost just before the Casio Triangle at Suzuka, Japan.

McLaren back then was what Ferrari was in the first half of this decade. Absolutely dominant. And the two most influential drivers back then were Senna and Prost. Ron Dennis, the McLaren head for many years, supported Senna’s views, albeit a bit diplomatically.

The whole controversy rattled the base for Balestre and was one of the few reasons for his ouster. Mosely is in the same unfavorable league today. Both Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula 1 boss, and Max Mosely have been labeled as dictatorial and analogies with the Nazi’s have been abundant with Mosley’s antics with sex workers in a Nazi role play and Eccelstone’s comments praising Adolf Hitler.

It has now been confirmed that Mosley will not step up for re-election and former world rally champion Ari Vatanen may replace him, a figure which has been backed by most of the FOTA members. Mosely on the other hand wants former executive director of Ferrari, Jean Todt, to run for the FIA presidency. Interestingly, it has been claimed that Vicky Chandok, former president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), would also be running for the post as well.

Ecclestone is claiming that he is trying his best to save the sport and will provide a resolution soon. But this season has already been tainted with scandals and the cracks may result in a Breakaway series.

Image:
Max Mosley, FIA President