Ecclestone calls for Mosley's resignation

Formula 1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone has called for FIA President Max Mosley to step down from his position saying that he only humiliate himself even more by staying around for Tuesday's confidence vote which will most likely have Mosley forced out of his postion as FIA president.

"The last thing most people involved in the sport, including the clubs, would want to see is Max in a position where he could be forced to stand down," Ecclestone told the British newspaer, the Telegraph."I don't want to see that. I've been a friend of Max for 40 years. I would hate to see him go in this way after all he has done for the sport."

"Since the story broke I have been under enormous pressure from the people who invest in Formula One, sponsors and manufacturers, over this issue," Ecclestone continued."They point out that as a chief executive or chief operating officer of a major company they would have gone either immediately, or within 24 hours, in the same circumstances. They cannot understand why Max has not done the same."

"Max is a strong man." Ecclestone continued. "Once he makes a decision he sticks to it. He feels that there is still important work to do at the FIA. But in my view there is a way to accomplish this and retire at the end of the year at the FIA general assembly in November. I would be happy to sit at his side to help him to achieve that. He should stand down out of responsibility for the institution he represents, including F1. Everyone who I speak to in a position of authority across F1 rings me to say he should leave. It is regretful that he has not made that decision."

Ecclestone went on to say because of the scandal Mosley can no longer conduct buisness in a normal manner. Mosley has been uninvited to many events because of that, even birthday parties.

"The big problem is that he can no longer represent the FIA worldwide because of these incidents," Ecclestone said. "The general feeling is that people would no longer be comfortable speaking to him in the same way. My wife had invited Max to her birthday party, (but) she was told to ask Max not to appear because of the embarrassment it might cause to a number of corporate guests. She was extremely upset about that, but she accepted she had to speak to him. It was very difficult for her to do that."

"Max is being punished for the wrong reasons. He has done a first-class job as president. Like all of us he has made some mistakes but 90 per cent of the decisions he has taken have been to the benefit of all. He deserves to be remembered for all the positive work he has done, not for an expose in a tabloid newspaper. That is why he should announce his decision to resign now and not go through with a vote of confidence. That is not in his best interests, the FIA's or the sport's."

Ecclestone calls Mosley to stand down (Autosport.com)