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FIA president Max Mosley frozen out by Monaco royal family
Last updated at 14:11pm on 16.05.08Max Mosley's tenuous grip on the leadership of world motor sport was weakened — perhaps permanently — yesterday when the Monaco royal family, the Grimaldis, made it clear that he is not welcome at next Sunday's showpiece grand prix.
The president of the ruling body, the FIA, has been an international pariah since he was exposed in a Sunday newspaper indulging in a five-hour sado-masochistic orgy.
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Snubbed: Max Mosley
He was barred from Bahrain, while an invitation to attend talks in Tel Aviv was withdrawn 24 hours after being issued by the Israeli government.
Mosley had hoped to prove he could discharge his duties by making his first high-profile appearance since the scandal broke.
Monte Carlo, where he lives in tax exile, is Formula One's signature race and he believed Prince Albert would rally to his support.
Instead, Sportsmail has learned that although he will be present at his 'home' race, he will not be acknowledged as the FIA's 'official' representative.
That role will be filled by deputy president Marco Piccinini. In another break with precedent, Mosley will not attend the gala dinner after the race.
Although the FIA claimed credit for this diplomatic solution, the fact that they were forced into it will be seen as a massive insult to Mosley, with the Grimaldi family unwilling even to shake hands him. The two parties will be kept apart in the paddock and on the grid.
One leading Formula One figure said last night: 'He is an emperor with no clothes. If he can't fulfil his job as FIA president in Monaco, he can't do it anywhere. End of story.'
The setback has damaging implications for the pivotal FIA general assembly meeting in Paris on June 3, when the governing body's 222 member associations from around the world will vote on whether Mosley can continue in office.
The 68-year-old will contend that his private life is exactly that.
He will additionally claim that the News of the World fabricated their report that he, the son of the late fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, indulged in Nazi-themed role-playing during the orgy.
The FIA have enlisted Anthony Scrivener QC, a former chairman of the Bar Council who serves on the FIA's appeals panel, to compile a report on the orgy, which will be a central facet of next month's hearing.
The overwhelming feeling within Formula One, from commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone down, is that Mosley must go because of the damage the controversy is doing to the sport.
Four of the top manufacturers — BMW, Mercedes, Honda and Toyota — have all expressed disquiet, while leading motoring organisations, including the 50million strong American Automobile Association, have called on Mosley to consider his position.
He is fast running out of supporters.
