MONTE CARLO, Monaco — Max Mosley emerged at the Monaco Grand Prix on Thursday, his first Formula One appearance since the auto racing leader became embroiled in a sex scandal.
The 68-year-old Englishman walked through the pit lane after coming out of the governing body’s paddock office.
“I can’t speak. I’m too busy,” said Mosley, who was to meet with team officials during a day of practice for Sunday’s GP.
Toro Rosso driver Sebastian Vettel walked alongside the group but wouldn’t comment. Red Bull’s Mark Webber is the only driver to have spoken out on the controversy.
“Most guys say ‘no comment’ because it’s easier, but if someone asks you if it is good or bad, why can’t you say what you think?” the Australian driver said. “He’s big enough and old enough to make his own decisions for himself, and what will be will be this weekend.”
A British tabloid reported that Mosley took part in sex acts with five prostitutes that involved a sadomasochistic Nazi theme. It emerged Sunday that the wife of a British MI5 intelligence agent was the prostitute who sold the story.
Mosley, the president of auto racing’s governing body, has kept a low profile since the Crown Prince of Bahrain asked him not to attend the Bahrain GP at the start of April after the scandal broke. He also missed the Spanish and Turkish GPs. Mosley’s fate will be decided at a June 3 special assembly by FIA in Paris.
Mosley was meeting with Williams team principal Alan Parr on Thursday, a day after talks with Ferrari head Stefano Domenicali and Renault team principal Flavio Briatore.
BMW Sauber head Mario Theissen said he doesn’t expect Mosley’s presence to overshadow F1’s marquee race around the streets of the tiny principality. F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone was expecting to see Mosley at some point.
Mosley’s term ends in October 2009. He has sent a letter sent to FIA’s 200 member federations saying F1’s future could be jeopardized if he is ousted.
FIA and rights holder Formula One Management are renegotiating the commercial rights to F1. Mosley says any instability in the presidency would give F1 Management, owned by Ecclestone, the chance “to take over Formula One completely.”
Ecclestone wrote to the same member federations Thursday to express his desire that FIA remain the regulatory body for F1. Ecclestone said he would not ask for extra concessions, and F1 Management would obey whatever ruling was made.
The Concorde agreement, signed in 1981, is the document which sets the terms by which the teams compete in races and share television revenue and prize money.
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