Di Montezemolo hails Mosley contribution

Source : www.autosport.com
By Edd Straw

Formula One Teams' Association chairman Luca di Montezemolo has taken a conciliatory line after an agreement with the FIA averted the threat of a breakaway series, paying tribute to Max Mosley's contribution.

"He has done a very good fix of the problem," said di Montezemolo. "When you have reached an agreement, everyone has to help in the same way."

The 61-year-old Ferrari president also called for the sport to put politics behind it and to focus on the reconciliation between the FIA and FOTA as a chance to improve F1.

"Polemics is not good for F1 and particularly for the public because F1 is a fantastic sport that has to be relaunched, not only protected," he said.

Mosley said that he did not consider the agreement to be a defeat for him, underlining that he has managed to fulfill his objectives of drawing in new teams and cutting costs.

"They've got the rules they want and the stability; we've got the new teams in and the cost reduction," said Mosley. "So that's very helpful."

Mosley added that he fully expected not to continue as FIA president beyond the end of his current term. He confirmed today that he would not be seeking re-election in October as part of the deal to prevent the breakaway series.

"As far as I'm concerned, the teams were always going to get rid of me in October," said Mosley. "Well they still are. Whether the person who succeeds me will be more to their liking remains to be seen."