Max Mosley’s Autobiography, Between Memories and Anecdotes
The predecessor of Jean Todt as president of the FIA is publishing his autobiography today entitled "Formula One and Beyond," in which he aims to share his most precious memories of F1.
Max Mosley, head of FISA in 1991 and then FIA from 1993 to 2009, saw his legitimacy increasingly contested within the automotive sports institutions themselves. Indeed, his tenure was notably marked by the controversy regarding Michelin tires at Indianapolis in 2005. Becoming less and less popular, it was the publication in 2008 of a video in which he was accompanied by several prostitutes and wore a Nazi soldier outfit that marked his downfall. Currently president of Global NCAP, he now remains very discreet regarding today’s F1 issues.
Mosley’s perception of Formula 1
For the Briton, the premier category of motorsport is a collection of memories. The selected excerpts from his book reveal that it is not written to settle scores with anyone. On the contrary, Mosley seems more inclined to share his experiences behind the scenes of F1. For example, after James Hunt’s last-minute victory in 1976 at Mount Fuji, he witnessed a boisterous evening where an impromptu game involved calling Japanese people and conversing with them for as long as possible.
If F1 is the driver of euphoric moments, it remains above all a dangerous sport. The Briton highlights his memories of the deaths of Jim Clark in 1968 at Hockenheim on one hand, and Roger Williamson in 1973 at Zandvoort. This type of incident shows, in his opinion, how difficult it is to converse with the victims’ loved ones. “Roger’s father was with me in the pits, asking if his son was okay. After seeing the accident on television behind our pit, I had the dreadful task of telling him that I did not think it was the case.”
The Failed Boycott Call of Michael Schumacher
His book is otherwise lacking in salacious or provocative revelations. Mosley only shares Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher’s apprehension about the risk of terrorism on American soil shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. Recently crowned four-time world champion, the Red Baron had called for a boycott of the Indianapolis Grand Prix scheduled to take place on September 30, starting from the Italian Grand Prix weekend: “Schumacher had asked the drivers in Monza to refuse to race at the next race in Indianapolis out of fear of an incident.” Nothing came of it. This allowed Mika Hakkinen to claim his final victory in Formula 1 ahead of… Schumacher.
