“He has to think of racing instead of himself,” insisted legendary five-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Derek Bell, “and stop being so damned selfish. This affair is doing serious damage. We've had enough crises in F1 over the past few years – we don't need any more.
“I understand him maintaining what went on was his own business and that it shouldn't have been publicised, but now that it has, a man in his position simply has to bow out gracefully, though that's hardly the right word. You just say, ‘I apologise, I've had a wonderful run and that's it, goodbye'.”
Mosley – currently embroiled in legal action for ‘unlimited damages' against News Group Newspapers on the grounds of breach of privacy, with a five-day trial set to be held in July – is standing firm despite rapidly failing confidence in his ability to carry on at the top of the sport's world governing body. He has repeatedly refuted any ‘Nazi connotations' to the role-playing involved, and insists what he does in his private life has no impact on his professional capabilities.
Both drivers and in particular manufacturers within the highest echelon, however – most prominently Mercedes-Benz and
BMW, who issued a joint statement distancing themselves from Mosley, and
Honda and
Toyota, who underlined their distaste for the revelations – have condemned the president and argued he has to go for the sake of the sport.
The Bahraini Royal Family earlier this month told Mosley he would not be welcome in Sakhir for the grand prix held there. 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter – one of those most vociferous in his criticism over the past few weeks – said that was unlikely to be an isolated example, and slammed the
FIA's rule of iron over media coverage of
F1.
“I was invited by the prince,” the British-domiciled South African recounted, “and he said he simply couldn't be seen in that situation. He won't be the only one, so it's impossible in these circumstances to understand how Mosley believes he is the best man to represent the sport.
