Max Mosley is to remain in office as FIA president after winning a vote of confidence with a clear majority.
FIA president stays on after winning vote of confidence
Max Mosley is to remain in office as FIA president after winning a vote of confidence with a clear majority, officials at an extraordinary meeting in Paris have said.
Following a two-hour discussion during which frank views were exchanged regarding the 68-year-old's future, Mosley was said to be delighted when the result was announced at the headquarters of world motorsport's governing body.
There were 103 votes in favour of Mosley, 55 against, with seven abstentions and four null papers.
The extraordinary general assembly was called by Mosley after allegations surrounding his private life surfaced in the
News of the World at the end of March.
Mosley has maintained a low profile since the scandal broke and avoided the media again on Tuesday morning when he arrived at the FIA's headquarters on the Place de la Concorde using a back route.
Having become FIA president in 1991, the vote means that Mosley is likely to see out his fourth term in office, which expires in October 2009.
Consensus
Despite Mosley being snubbed by royalty ahead of the Bahrain, Spanish and Monaco grands prix, the general consensus up until a week ago was that he would comfortably survive the vote.
However, a significant number of automobile clubs - representing 13 percent of the vote - joined forces late last week and sent Mosley a letter calling for his head.
As has been his position since day one, Mosley refused to stand down, even ignoring a late plea from Formula One's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone to quit.
And, having apparently put forward a powerful argument as to why he should stay on at the meeting, the tide has now turned decisively in his favour.
A spokesman for ADAC, the German motoring organisation among those calling for Mosley's resignation, said: "We view with regret and incredulity the FIA general assembly's decision in Paris, confirming Max Mosley in office as FIA president.
"This is a reason for Europe's largest automobile club to let its functions and co-operation in FIA working groups rest at world level.
"ADAC will stay with its decision as long as Max Mosley holds the top FIA office of president."
An FIA press statement confirmed the votes, and in a statement the organisation said: "Voting in the EGA (extraordinary general assembly) was made by secret ballot.
"Votes were counted in private by the FIA legal department in the presence of four scrutineers."
Breakaway
Now Mosley has survived the vote, the FIA faces a potential split with a number of high-profile clubs such as ADAC likely to push for a breakaway faction.
Like their German counterparts, the American Automobile Association have been openly opposed to Mosley staying on.
Following the decision their head, Robert Darbelnet, confirmed the AAA will now review whether to remain under the FIA umbrella.
He added: "We don't think his behaviour is appropriate for an organisation which represents hundreds of millions of motorists.
"This is not the type of behaviour that any organisation I know of should be condoning.
"I can't think of an organisation that would have arrived at this result today."
Aside from a potential split within the FIA, Mosley must also contend with legal proceedings he has launched against the Sunday tabloid, in which he is alleging an invasion of privacy.
