Ecclestone calls for Mosley to quit

Bernie Ecclestone called on Max Mosley to resign as president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) for the first time yesterday following Mosley's involvement in a sex scandal.

Ecclestone, 77, the commercial supremo of Formula One, said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph he had been a friend of Mosley's for 40 years, but the time had come for him to quit.

It is the first time since the scandal broke in March that Ecclestone has publicly called for Mosley to quit.

"He should stand down out of responsibility for the institution he represents, including F1," he said.

"Everyone who I speak to in a position of authority across F1 rings me to say he should leave. It is regretful he has not made this decision."

Mosley, 68, hopes he will be given a vote of confidence to continue in his position at a meeting of FIA member clubs in Paris on Tuesday.

"The last thing most people involved in the sport, including the clubs, would want to see is Max in a position where he could be forced to stand down," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph.

"I don't want to see that. I've been a friend of Max for 40 years. I would hate to see him go this way after all he has done for the sport.

"Since the story broke I have been under enormous pressure from the people who invest in Formula One, sponsors and manufacturers, over this issue.

"They point out that as a chief executive of a major company they would have gone either immediately or within 24 hours, in the same circumstances. They cannot understand why Max has not done the same."

Ecclestone described Mosley as a "strong man" and one that stuck to his decisions.

"He feels there is still important work to do at the FIA. But in my view there is a way to accomplish this and retire at the end of the year at the FIA general assembly in November," he added.

Mosley has been fighting to save his job since the tabloid News of the World published details two months ago of what has been described as a Nazi-style orgy with prostitutes.