MOTOR SPORT/Formula One: Max Mosley said yesterday he would stand down as president of the FIA, motor sport's international governing body, at the end of October, after 12 years in office.

The announcement here, in the build-up to Sunday's French Grand Prix, led to speculation that it was a piece of political manoeuvring, inviting the teams to insist he stay on, which would strengthen his power base, or perhaps an admission he is simply fed up with an increasingly ungovernable business.

Formula one is currently trying to agree new technical regulations at a time when it is also trying to shape new commercial deals that would see income shared more widely.

If the decision of Mosley, a former barrister, now 64, is irrevocable, he will probably go on to pursue a career in European Union politics, where he has already been active on road-safety issues.

Michael Schumacher, the world champion, paid tribute to the Briton. "It's obviously quite surprising news," he said. "I think Max has been very good in what he has done. There have been times when maybe I haven't agreed with him but in general, for the sport, he has achieved a lot in terms of safety and the reputation of Formula One."

Mosley is believed to have been stung by criticism last week from the FIA vice-president, Jacques Regis, president of the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile, France's governing body, who insisted Mosley needed to change his policies if he was to have a hope of being re-elected in the autumn of 2005.

"Mosley does not consult me and I have the impression that I am not alone in this respect," Regis told Auto Hebdo magazine. "He lives in his glass bubble and makes decisions by himself and with his staff. They are certainly of a high level but they ignore all those on the ground."

Regis is tipped as a possible candidate for the job at the 2005 elections, with a caretaker president being appointed when Mosley leaves in October.

Mosley's tenure as FIA president has been colourful and often controversial.

He took a robust attitude towards the Formula One teams when it came to negotiating new regulations, worked closely with Bernie Ecclestone, with whom he has been associated for the past 25 years, and was not averse to forcing through rule changes on the grounds of safety.

In 1994, after Ayrton Senna's fatal accident in the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Mosley insisted on a raft of changes, including reduced engine capacity and modified aerodynamics to reduce lap speeds.

When the teams complained, he forced the changes through by threatening that the FIA would not run the Formula One world championship in 1995 unless they agreed.

Meanwhile, Williams stand-in Marc Gene believes Sunday's race could be his break into the Formula One big time.

The Spaniard, who raced 34 grands prix for back-marking team Minardi, is a Williams test driver and was drafted in at late notice to replace the injured Ralf Schumacher this weekend.

With the German likely to be out for up to three months, Gene believes this is his chance to secure a race seat at the team, which is likely to run with a new driver pairing next season. Juan Pablo Montoya is leaving for McLaren and Schumacher is believed to be heading for a lucrative deal at Toyota.

"I'm one of the possibilities and the fact that I'm racing this weekend shows that," he said.

"I will concentrate just on this race. I don't think it would help me thinking about next year or the following race."

Guardian Service