Former FIA president Max Mosley dies

Motorsport in general, and Formula 1 in particular, have lost one of the great figures in their history with the death of former FIA President Max Mosley at the age of 81. British media, including the BBC, announced his death this Monday afternoon.

Born in London on April 13, 1940, Max Mosley came from a controversial family since his father Oswald Mosley was the founder of the fascist party in the United Kingdom in the 1930s, against a backdrop of the rise of Nazism in Germany and extremes in Italy which would lead to World War II.

After studying physics then law, the young Mosley found refuge in motorsport, a world where no one held it against his family background, participating in races in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s. In 1969, he founded March Engineering with Alan Rees, Graham Coaker, and Robin Herd.

March, of which Mosley managed the commercial activities and the administrative aspect, began in Formula 3 but quickly developed to entrust single-seaters in Formula 2 then in Formula 1 to future stars like Ronnie Peterson or Niki Lauda. 

Mosley's academic background soon allowed him to represent March at FOCA, the "Formula One Constructors' Association" which defended the interests of private manufacturers. It was at this time that the lawyer by training joined forces with a certain Bernie Ecclestone, future great financier of the queen discipline, to represent the FOCA before the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the various racing promoters. In 1978, he became legal advisor to the builders' association and participated in the drafting of the very first Concorde Agreements.

Emerging stronger from the war between FOCA and FISA (Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile), led by the Frenchman Jean-Marie Balestre, at the beginning of the 1980s, Mosley and Ecclestone contributed massively to making F1 the global spectacle and lucrative as it remains today. 

In 1991, Mosley succeeded Balestre as head of FISA before being elected FIA president in 1993. A year later, he was confronted with the terrible weekend at Imola which cost the lives of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna. In the wake of this disastrous 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Mosley brought together a group of experts under the aegis of Professor Sid Watkins and entrusted them with the mission of improving research and safety in motorsport. Re-elected as head of the FIA ​​in 1997, 2001, and 2005, the Briton also contributed to advancing road safety by participating in the implementation of Euro NCAP tests.

• Ardent defender of privacy

His end of reign was marked by the scandal of spygate and the record $100 million fine imposed on McLaren for having gotten hold of confidential information belonging to Ferrari. 

The following year, Mosley found himself embroiled in a vice scandal when the tabloid News of the World revealed compromising photos of private parties where the various protagonists appeared in outfits apparently evoking the Nazi world. The scandal brought the scandalous story of Mosley's parents back to the forefront.

Criticized and weakened in his functions, the president of the FIA ​​nevertheless retained his position following an extraordinary vote of confidence from the governing body. While he initially aimed for a 5th mandate, Mosley changed his mind and left the FIA ​​at the end of 2009, not without having provided his support to his future successor, former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt. 

Mosley devoted the last years of his life to protecting privacy against attacks by the tabloid press and obtained several important legal victories, notably against the Google search engine in France and Germany. In 2011, he also helped victims of wiretapping by News of the World by offering to pay the legal costs of the plaintiffs whose phones had been hacked by the tabloid that caused its downfall a few years earlier. 

In 2020, the former president of the FIA ​​was the subject of a biographical documentary simply titled Mosley who looks back on his rich journey, without eluding the dark sides.  

Contacted by the BBC, Bernie Ecclestone claims to have “ lost a brother » and salutes the massive contribution made by Mosley “ not only to racing but also to the entire automotive industry ». 

« I am saddened to learn of the death of Max Mosley, a major figure in F1 and motorsport, reacted Jean Todt on his official Twitter account. During his 16-year mandate as President of the FIA, he contributed greatly to advancing safety on the track and on the roads. The entire FIA ​​community pays tribute to him, and our thoughts are with his family ».

CARhebdo joins the motorsport community in sending its condolences to the family and loved ones of Max Mosley.