Zoom Mosley's tenure ends in October

No one was defeated in the war between F1's governing body and the major competing teams, departing FIA President Max Mosley insisted on Wednesday.

Despite indicating 24 hours earlier that he wants to stay on for a fifth consecutive term, 69-year-old Mosley's announcement to retire in October coincided with peace being declared with the dissident FOTA group.

Although his budget cap is to be deleted from the rules, the Briton denies he simply lost the battle.

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that because they've got the rules they want and the stability, we've got the new teams in and the cost reduction," said Mosley after the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris.

However, Mosley's steadily-worsening war of words with FOTA chiefs, including Luca di Montezemolo who was among those denounced as "loonies" last weekend, also rapidly ended on Wednesday.

The Ferrari President, also speaking in Paris, wished Mosley well for his impending retirement.

"I think he has done a very good fix of the problem," said the Italian Montezemolo, agreeing that the sport as a whole now has work to do to unwind the damage of the intense hostility.

"Formula One is a fantastic sport and has to be relaunched, not only protected," he said.

The FIA confirmed with an official statement that all ten current teams, plus the three new ones, are unconditionally entered to contest the F1 World Championship in 2010.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM