20/11/2006
NEWS STORY
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There are many well placed individuals who sincerely believe that had it not been for certain circumstances totally outwith his control, Max Mosley could have entered politics and possibly risen to the very top.
A former secretary of the Oxford Union - he graduated with a degree in Physics - he subsequently studied law, qualifying as a barrister in 1964.
Mosley had considered a career in politics but chose to continue with the law and his other true passion, motor sport.
Having competed in various club events in the UK in the mid-60s, Max moved up to Formula 2, contesting numerous races in 1967 and '68, the latter season as (unofficial) teammate to Piers Courage, who was driving for Frank Williams' Slough based outfit.
Having retired as a racer in 1969, Mosley, along with Alan Rees, Graham Coaker and Robin Herd - who he studied alongside at Oxford - went on to form March, which only a year later was contesting the Formula One World Championship, finishing third in the Constructors' Championship at the first attempt.
At the end of 1977, with March involved in a whole raft of racing ventures, both as a works team, and provider of customer cars, Mosley sold the majority of his shares in the company to Herd and moved on, subsequently becoming legal advisor to the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA), previously established by Bernie Ecclestone.
Mosley and Ecclestone made the (almost) perfect partnership, a pairing which brought to mind a TV series popular in the early 70s, The Persuaders. The series featured Tony Curtis and Roger Moore, the Englishman playing the sophisticated Lord Brett Sinclair, while the American played streetwise Danny Wilde.
As Ecclestone and Mosley joined forces, taking on Jean Marie Balestre, president of the Federation Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA), in a long, bitter battle (sound familiar?), which saw Max draw up the infamous Concorde Agreement, giving FISA control of the regulations and FOCA control of Formula One's promotion and TV rights, one could almost hear John Barry's catchy Persuaders theme tune in the background.
Having been elected president of FISA in 1991, Mosley promptly stepped down again, feeling that he had been elected more as a protest against Balestre than in his own right. He was immediately re-elected, and in 1993 was elected president of the FIA, thereby ending Balestre's reign. Shortly afterwards the FIA was re-structured, which led to the demise of FISA, Max was now in total control.
Although Max announced his retirement in 2004, he subsequently changed his mind, and was re-elected shortly afterwards, a move which sees him retain presidency of the governing body of motorsport until 2009.
Check out most F1 related internet forums and message boards, and the chances are that the fans' opinion of Max is far from flattering. In addition to being in the pocket of Ferrari, the Englishman is seen as being solely responsible for all that is wrong with contemporary F1, having dumbed it down by creating numerous rules that have taken out all the excitement, regulations that have emasculated the supposed pinnacle of motorsport. His intelligence is seen as arrogance, while his determination to improve safety and reduce ever increasing costs is seen as meddling.
Yes there have been mistakes, and Mosley would be among the first to admit that he made a major error when claiming that it was (fuel and tyre) strategy that made the sport exciting, as opposed to overtaking. Indeed, like many others he was genuinely shocked when the 2003 British GP became an overtaking fest, and consequently one of the most talked about F1 races of the modern era, following the track invasion by former priest Neil Horan.
The five-year battle with the manufactures and teams, which saw the sport come to the brink - so we are led to believe - of splitting, further angered his critics, who saw him as refusing to give way, preferring to see the sport torn asunder rather than (personally) losing face.
He has done much for F1, motorsport and indeed motorists, for in addition to his work in setting up the FIA Institute, which focuses on motorsport safety, Mosley established the FIA Foundation, a recognised world leader in road safety campaigning and research.
However, much of this - even the FIA foundation - means little to the man in the street, or man down the pub if you will, who, if not a follower of motorsport, and in particular F1, is unlikely to have heard of Max Mosley.
That can all be rectified however, if the peace talks in Munich last week prove to be the foundation for the sport's future.
The reduction in costs, improved safety, control tyres, standard ECU, fan surveys… etc, none of it means anything to the average man, or woman, in the street.
However, with the manufacturers now actively seeking to address one of the most - if not the most - important issues facing mankind, Mosley finally has the opportunity to take his place centre stage in the greater political picture.
Rather than following the trend, reacting to the situation, Formula One now has the opportunity to take the lead on environmental issues, once again introducing technology that will find its way on to the high street, technology that will benefit mankind by (hopefully) prolonging the life of our planet.
Finally, Max Mosley has his legacy.