The battle brewing between long-time friends, allies and business associates
Bernie Ecclestone and
Max Mosley took a further step on Wednesday, following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in Paris.
The meeting was called to discuss
F1's future, with a provisional 2009 calendar being released [see separate story –
click here] and plans announced to revive the long-defunct Formula Two feeder category – what has been seen as an attempt by Mosley to undermine Ecclestone, who was instrumental in the foundation of the similar GP2 Series alongside
Renault managing director Flavio Briatore three years ago.
The pair's relationship has become increasingly strained since FIA President Mosley was the subject of a lurid front page exposé on his private life in the
News of the World just under three months ago, following which a vote of confidence was held on his future ability to rule the sport – a vote which he controversially won by a ratio of more than two-to-one.
Mosley has previously suggested that Ecclestone's company
Formula One Management and his commercial rights-holding partners CVC are plotting to try to wrest control of F1 away from the
FIA, which has looked after proceedings since the inception of the world championship all the way back in 1950. He has also underlined that more of the sport's multi-million pound revenues – currently Ecclestone's remit – should be re-distributed back to the teams [see separate story –
click here].
Similarly debated during the WMSC reunion were the governing Concorde Agreement, entry fees and future methods of consulting with the top flight's ten teams on matters of importance, with Ecclestone later insisting it had been a ‘good' meeting.
