Motorsport: F1 pact shaky

The threat of a breakaway series in Formula One is still very much alive, says FIA president Max Mosley with the peace deal, struck just three days ago, threatening to unravel.

The wheels started to come off when Mosley threatened to change tack and stand for re-election after becoming enraged by the triumphalist tones of the Formula One Teams' Association.

In two letters on Friday, one to the World Motor Sport Council and the other to every member association, Mosley warns it is still "possible FOTA will set up an independent series."

Quite why Mosley should want to stir up a hornet's nest when a deal to save the sport has just been agreed is difficult to fathom. He claims the reason behind his U-turn is that FOTA is trying to unduly influence members of the FIA, Formula One's governing body, over their choice of president.

Mosley was furious when Toyota's team president, John Howett, said on Thursday FOTA would like to see a neutral, "independent successor".

Mosley told members they must strive to retain their independence faced with an outside body - FOTA - "with little or no understanding of sporting ethics" and highlights two episodes where teams tried to influence the FIA's governance.