Rise or Fall of the FIA??

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile or the FIA have been excessively in the news over the past few months for all the wrong reasons and there seems to be no end to it. It started off with the Max Mosley scandal to the fallout from the judgment on Mosleygate, threats of a breakaway F1 championship, the return of F2, and finally the power struggle between Mosley and Eccelstone.

A quick background - FIA started the first Formula One Championship in 1950 and are the governing body for almost all motor racing events around the world. The current President of the FIA is none other than Max Mosley, former barrister, racer, team owner and until recently, close ally of Bernie Eccelstone. Eccelstone and Mosley have been credited as the masterminds behind the phenomenal rise of Formula One on a global level. Mosley has been President since 1993 and is currently in his fourth and last term as President. Mosley has been at loggerheads with the Formula One Manufacturers for the past decade, with many threats of a breakaway series. The FIA has also been blamed of showing favouritism towards Ferrari in the past years which has also been a cause for the rift between the federation and manufacturers. Last year when McLaren were found guilty, Mosley was fierce in his criticism towards the team and their owner Ron Dennis, who have always had a stormy relationship.

Two months ago, News of the World, British tabloid reported that Mosley had engaged in sexual acts with many prostitutes in a Nazi role-play. This video was circulated on youtube giving the whole world access to this video. The Formula One manufactures, motorsport governing bodies around the world, race organizers went after Mosley, citing this is no way for the head of a gloabl body to behave, and asked that he resign from his post. Mosley is not the head of the world's automobile governing body for no reason, he bought his time, used his resources and emerged victorious in the general assembly body which was arranged to vote on whether he stays or goes.

Mosley might have won that battle but the war is far from over. This has also caused a strain in his relationship with Bernie Eccelstone, the two allies who worked so hard to get Formula One to where it is right now. Eccelstone has been working with the manufacturers to look at the possibility of creating a new series. This as we know will be a herculean task but if anyone can do it, Bernie Eccelstone is that man.

The FIA last week announced plans of bringing back the famous F2 name, as an inexpensive feeder series to the Formula One Championship. This is obviously aimed at Eccelstone's GP2 series, which is currently the most successful feeder series for Formula One. With this move, the intentions from the FIA are clear, and will not be taken lightly.

This leads us to the biggest rivalry brewing in the world of motorsport right now, battle between FIA's Max Mosley and F1's Bernie Eccelstone. Their relationship dates back more than 35 years, with Max and Bernie forming a terrific duo to take control of the sport and bring it to where it is right now. They worked together during the FISA-FOCA wars, Mosley and Eccelstone were instrumental in bringing the levels of safety in F1 to an all time high after the tragic death of Ayrton Senna, and now they will face their toughest battle ever.

Mosley's victory in the sex scandal has once again re-established Mosley as the key decision maker in the motorsport industry. However his extracurricular escapades have caught the eye of many detractors and many want to be distanced from Mosley. It will be interesting to see how far they both take their threats forward. Eccelstone will have to pull off the impossible if he is to create a breakaway series, and it should be noted that he is not getting any younger. At 78 he is more active than half the people involved in the business. Mosley has the backing of Ferrari, who will not be involved in a breakaway series, thus bringing Toro Rosso with them. He is trying to create a different feeder series, wresting control of the sport from his long-time friend Eccelstone.

Both Max & Bernie are getting older by the day and what the future holds after they retire will be interesting to see. This will result in either the rise or the fall of FIA, how it goes from here will be interesting to see..