There are reports on the Italian website http://www.422race.com, that former FIA President Max Mosley is planning to lead some kind of revolt against his successor Jean Todt at the next FIA General Assembly, which is scheduled to take place in Paris on November 5. There does not seem to be very much to back up the story, and our sources close to Mosley say that the story is simply not true.
What is perhaps more interesting is that someone somewhere is promoting the idea of a rebellion against Todt and one must presume that the intention is to destabilise the FIA President. Thus one needs to look at who will gain from that situation.
When he was elected to the position a year ago, it was with the support of Mosley. He won 135 votes to Ari Vatanen’s 49, with 12 abstentions. Since then he has worked quietly to reform the federation and has given the impression that he is avoiding getting involved in the sport. He has done little to upset the FIA member clubs, although there has been criticism about revisions which are being proposed to change the statutes. From what we hear, this has largely been left this up to a working group to decide and Todt has not been playing a major role in formulating the new ideas.
The stories in Italy are almost certainly related to the sport as they have appeared on a sporting website. There have been staff changes within the FIA bureaucracy and advisors, and there have been cutbacks on FIA expenses, which have not gone down well. These are not related to the clubs and thus are unlikely to be the cause of any rebellion, particularly as there was clearly a need to reduce some of the costs involved.
More importantly, however, since his election Todt and his people have been working towards creating a new set of Formula 1 rules and regulations, which have not been popular with some of the current competitors. At the same time, there must also soon be negotiations for a Concorde Agreement, and to finalise the details of the 100-year rights agreement between the FIA and Formula One Management. Given that the F1 teams and the FIA are natural allies at the moment in relation to commercial rights, as they do not want to see 50% of the revenues of F1 leaving the sport, there is much to be gained from unity, in order to push the Formula One Group to accept a more realistic percentage, in keeping with other sports.
It will be interesting to see how things develop.
joeblogsf1 
Sounds a bit like disgruntled ex-employees.
I wouldn’t expect max to come back. Difficult to budge but once he’s out, unlikely to return.
That leaves Bernie of the major players and it doesn’t sound his style.
Nothing Mosley does would surprise me… But I can’t see what would be in it for him. As you say, Todt was his chosen successor. If Todt fails, it would reflect badly on Mosley.
So you are saying that this is BCE/FOM/CVC? Todt must be doing something right if he is making enemies in those quarters…
John C,
I am not saying anything. I am mystified…
Has anyone ever seen Max and Peter Mandelson in the same room at the same time?
Firsly, Never rule out Ari…. he’s a very clever man. I’ve had the privelege of meeting him and I would guess that Joe might agree.
Secondly, Todt has done very little (in my eyes at least) toward road safety. Having just returned from Uganda (August) I can attest to the terrible roads (even around Entebbe and Kampala) while in the country its becomes nerve racking to put it mildly.
Todt, pull your finger out!
Luca di Montezemelo stirring the pot? He got time on his hands nowadays.
Seems like FOTA trying to destabilise the FIA president, especially after Ferrari and Mercedes said they didn’t like the proposed new engine regulations, regulations they’d previously agreed to.
Plus because Monty’s Resource Restriction has proved to be an utter failure, FOTA want 85% of F1’s income so the top teams can carry on spending $200,000,000+
I hope it’s just a silly rumour, honestely. But there is something that must be said: there will be a new Concorde Agreement in 2012, and over the table there are a new set of regulations foi 2013, wich means a new type of engine, Turbos and so on. More money to spent on them, at least.
And these news can be one of two things: Mosley still has things to be settled, or Todt is not the man that Mosley thought that he could be manipubale to its interests.
I hope that he will stay put on his retirement, otherwise we will see war. Must not forget that we’re living in a time of truce…
If you follow your logic Joe the teams and the FIA want to be on the same side just now then the other apex of the F1 triangle logically wants to de-stabilise them. Bernie is probably trying a bit of his old divide and conquer tactic. I saw an article by him on autosport.com yesterday slagging of the team bosses saying they were stupid and self-serving. An attack on Todt would be his next logical move.
Max appeared on BBC’s Question Time last week. This is a political debate program and he sounded eminently reasonable throughout. He seemed to take care to give short to the point answers every time he spoke and his position on every issue was to the left of the current government. The conclusion from the discussion at sidepodcast was that he is trying to become a Labour peer or their candidate for mayor of London. I know he always wanted to do real politics and maybe his shift to the left is to help him do that. That program would have been a perfect platform to make some comments about Todt and the FIA but not a word was said that suggested he was even thinking about them.
When it comes to identifying who may be behind the Todt story I am a great believer in looking who has most to gain and following the money. Both lead to Bernie.
Well it could be The Bolt pulling Max’s strings so he can get a better deal.
I have also heard that Ferrari have some big dirt on Mr Todt, but perhaps a big FIA hoe-down would not be the place to air that.
RobbieMeister,
If anyone had any dirt on Todt it would have come out by now… The election campaign would have been the moment, wouldn’t it?
Mr S
It would depend on your agenda. If you wanted control of the FIA it would be better to have the man at the top beholding to you.