Former
Formula 1 star Juan-Pablo Montoya has insisted the sex scandal enveloping
Max Mosley is merely ‘a laughing matter', as one of the sport's team owners also sprang to the
FIA President's defence but further high-profile motoring bodies deserted him.
The
News of the World published a front page exposé alleging the 67-year-old had been involved in a ‘sick Nazi orgy with 5 hookers' near to his London home, and though Mosley does not deny the majority of the claims, he has vigorously rejected any suggestions of Nazi overtones to the five-hour, £2,500 experience, describing them as ‘pure fabrication'.
“I was so shocked by it,” Montoya – a six-time grand prix-winner for McLaren-Mercedes and Williams-
BMW – commented in an interview with the
Associated Press. “When they sent [the video] to me, I was like ‘no way!' Now, I'm just like ‘Hey, he's just an old guy trying to have some fun'.
“I loved it – it's a laughing matter! You know, when I first heard about it, it was shocking, but then he decided to play it like nothing has happened and it's just so hilarious.”
The 32-year-old – who has switched over to American NASCAR racing since leaving
F1 back in mid-2006 – stopped short, however, of saying whether he agreed with the common paddock consensus that Mosley should resign.
“I do have an opinion on it,” he admitted, “but I'm not going to say it, and I'm glad I am not there.”
The man at the top of world motorsport's governing body has also received support from
Force India team owner Vijay Mallya. Whilst the Indian billionaire admitted he had found the tabloid reports ‘positively shocking', he argued the revelations would do little to deter potential sponsors from entering the top flight, something Sir
Jackie Stewart says he fears may be a consequence of the fall-out [see separate story –
click here].
