“…..some suggested that Mosley’s success had been due to his ability to mobilise support among the sporting federations, whose votes were enough to outnumber those of the non-sporting motor clubs”..The Times

Clearly his strangle hold on the sporting clubs was sufficient to win the two thirds of the vote. Motoring organisations like the AAA must surely question whether they will want to be associated with the FIA.

However, I see this as a turning point for F1 in particular - other series like WRC, DTM etc, who knows? Commercial interests from sponsors & manufacturers will come into account. Regardless of the letters of protest lodged by the manufactures when this scandal broke, it was not that long ago that these very same auto’s were threatening to go it alone as the GPMA due to their dissatisfaction with F1, that being Bernie commercial control & Max’s regulatory FIA.

This time around it may well be the manufacturers breaking away, BUT, with Bernie along side. The battle lines are drawn between Max & Bernie, there can be no reconciliation now. Further, it’s in Max’s nature to go after Bernie in retaliation for his perceived disloyalty in this matter. Max wont lash out publicly, he is far too smart for that, rather, he will initiate a stealth like “death by a thousand cuts” at the commercial rights holder. Bernie can look forward to a future of hostility from the governing body & no support from within it. Jealousy of Bernie’s commercial success will be a powerful tool to be used against him. And what of those brave nations who only a few days ago inked their names to a demand for him to step down? The bully must surely bring them to heal, if to prove nothing else than his status & the price of speaking out.

One thing is certain, Bernie is not going to just stand there & tolerate a concerted action against all that he has built, he may ally with the teams & lead a break-away, promising riches for all. This would be highly attractive to the teams, imagine sharing in a new F1’s prosperity & being able to off set your running costs through profit participation, let alone having a say in the sporting regulation. Our jests over the years about Ferrari ending up having the series to themselves may become a reality.

While I have harped on over the years about the amount of power Max has, notwithstanding his abuse of said power, I am totally dumbstruck at how entrenched/enshrined he really is. The FIA as an organisation is rotten to the core if two thirds of it’s membership can vote in favour a matter that was almost universally denounced from all quarters.

If power corrupts, then absolute power corrupts absolutely. Congratulation’s to Mr Mosley, he has damaged the very bed rock of the sport he purports to love. Worse, my own deep love of F1 has not been shaken enough for me to turn my back on it, as I still intend to actively follow the series despite his involvement…………& for that I must hang my own head in shame.

Let’s hope that today is the first step in a new beginning & direction for F1, even with Max’s future resignation, the pinnacle of motorsport will still have disassociate itself with the totally inappropriate governing body that is the FIA

Mad Max: Beyond Blunderdome.

Coming to a theater near you this summer!