The Wild Side of Max Mosley - Yes he has one.....

[cosworth151]

I hate to disagree, Scotty, but I don't see it happening. Mad Max has WAAAAAYYYY too big an ego to go quitely without a fight.

[cosworth151]

No need for a poll now. Max has owned up to it. However, he disavows the Nazi part.

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34338

[Scott]

The poll I suggested was to choose the day that he resigns.  The letter he wrote in that article indicates that he is (as you say) in no hurry to do so, but this quote from Bernie may be a bit telling as to what is to come:

"But his fellow F1 powerbroker, Bernie Ecclestone, warned Mosley against too much bravado, as it emerges that several of the car manufacturers involved in the sport are among the senior voices that are very unhappy.

"I don't think it's going to be easy," Ecclestone, F1's Chief Executive, told The Times when asked about Mosley's predicament.   
 
"And if he starts to sue, from what I understand, the chances of him winning would be slim and, the trouble is, it's just a lot more ink for the press," Ecclestone added.

"If Max was in bed with two hookers, they'd say 'good for you' or something like that, but this, as it is, people find it repulsive. I think that's the problem."

...so Max is denying the Nazi slant to the episode, but Bernie seems to think that it might be as transparent as the story is.  It looks like he is already going to try to throw the whole thing back into McLaren's lap (referring to some conspiracy about it being a planned by 'clients').  C'mon Max, it was some lucky schmuck who got a hold of the camera.  I'm sure the hooker who provided it to the News of the World or whatever they are called, recognized that the film was worth 1000x what her hooker fee was.  I doubt McLaren or any other clients had anything to do with it.

I repeat...I think he's going to give his letter of resignation on Friday.

[Steven Roy]

I always knew he was removed from reality but how can he possibly think he can survive this?

I am sure all the islamic countries Bernie is moving races into will be thrilled and I can't wait for him to turn up at Barcelona to launch racing against racism.  I am sure the Spanish fans will forget all about why this exercise is being launched there.

The interesting thing for me now is he picked Todt as his successor and if the kingmaker is tainted can the new king avoid association. 

[Scott]

I'm not so sure that Todt would take the job anyway.  I heard Max say a few times that he'd like Todt to run the FIA after he left, but I never heard anything but cool responses from Todt.  What he HAS said numerous times is that he'd like to devote his post Ferrari life to brain and spinal cord research.  I can't see Todt having anything to do with a supposed democracy - he has no interest in hearing other people's opinions.

I think/hope that Todt will not succeed Max.  I really hope that Tony Purnell will.

[Chameleon]

Max will go but not without a fight.  All dictators try to hang on as long as they can (Mugabe is doing it in Zimbabwe at this very moment) and Max is a particularly nasty one, as this whole episode has shown.  I give him a couple of weeks, Scotty - so put me down for Monday 14th April.

[Scott]

Ok, but don't forget Spitzer went in 2 days

[cosworth151]

Max will leave claw marks in the carpet when they drag him out of the office.

I hope Purnell gets the job. He's one of the best managers in F1.

[Chameleon]

Spitzer was a wimp.  Max will hang on until the Red Army enters Berlin...

[Alianora La Canta]

I don't think Max will resign as such, nor does this incident look like toppling him in the near future, but I don't think he'll be re-elected in 2009 even if he runs. He's made too many enemies for them not to use this as a lever to elect someone more suitable to the post. So put me down for 1 November 2009.

[Steven Roy]

I think he has two weeks max. 

Even if you only look at F1 you can see that a lot of people will be having a quite word with Bernie and Piccinini or whoever shows up from the FIA this weekend.  The car companies can't risk being associated with him.

If he is not pushed out in that time spell he has to show up in Spain to launch racing against racism.  I can't imagine Lewis Hamilton is going to be prepared to stand beside a Nazi.  Whether the Nazi stuff is proven or not I don't see Lewis risking his image and launching that program without his participation is going to undermine the whole exercise. 

Similarly the Spanish fans are not going to let him launch his initiative when they believe he made them sound like a bunch of racists without pointing out that he isn't exactly qualified to be casting the first stone.

Bernie is looking to use Lewis's colour to bring new groups of people into the sport.  I can imagine that while Lewis may be identified with by certain groups an alleged Nazi whose parents were associates of Hitler is going to be a bit of a turn off.  It doesn't matter whether he shares his parents politics or not he is going to be portrayed as a Nazi and that will affect Bernie's profits.  Since nothing is allowed to interfere with Bernie's money His good mate Max will be sacrificed.

Those points only relate to F1.  Think of all the other activities the FIA is involved in and the only chance Max had of surviving was to flat out deny everything and sue NOTW.  I expect he will let this race pass and then be persuaded to resign on a busy newsday if one can be found.  You can absolutely bet that if Zimbabwe blows up or there is any major incident of any kind with a three week gap between races Max will take advantage of it to sneak out the back door.

[Scott]

Good points, Steven.  How can Lewis allow himself to be even in the same picture as Max?  Certainly the media will blanket Bahrain with the story and not let anyone alone with it.  If Max doesn't quit before the race, then I imagine even (or especially) Bernie will find it most unpleasant in Bahrain, between the media constantly hassling him to the major manufacturer's screaming at him to act.  If it doesn't happen tomorrow, then Monday morning Max will be making a press briefing of his resignation.

Although I'm still thinking that he will be gone before the lights go out in Bahrain, I think it will be on Friday - a small piece in the middle of news on practice sessions and driver quotes. 

[romephius]

The 2 best possible times for Max to resign this weekend would be in the closing minutes of Quali on saturday or the final 10 laps of the race on sunday, as most of the media will be getting their pictures and getting into position for quotes from the drivers and teams.

Well that's what I would do if I were in that sort of position.

Rom

[Scott]

No, I think both of those would interfere with F1 and detract from the show (i.e. Bernie would not allow it, and you know that Bernie is certainly the one orchestrating Max's exit - likely as we speak).  Yeah, it might make it so that Max wouldn't be bothered too much by reporters at that very moment, but I think it would be bad for F1 if either Quali or the race was overshadowed at the last moment by Max issuing a statement.

[Ian]

He won't be at Bahrain anyway, the Sheikh has written to him requesting that " under the circumstances it would be inappropiate for you to attend the race."   Serve him right.