Mallya says Mosley scandal won’t hurt sponsors

Vijay Mallya

Force India co-owner Vijay Mallya insists Formula One sponsors "don't care" about the scandal that has engulfed FIA president Max Mosley.

The billionaire Kingfisher Airlines supremo believes commercial and market forces dictate whether an existing or potential sponsor sees the sport as an ideal advertising platform.

Mallya's views are at odds with those of former three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who felt the lurid sexual allegations surrounding Mosley would prove a deterrent to sponsors.

Yet, whilst Mallya has described the stories published in a Sunday newspaper about Mosley as "positively shocking", he is adamant it is a case of 'who cares?'

"The focus and attention now is: what is Max's future?" Mallya told PA Sport.

"It isn't that the popularity of the sport or its future is in question as a result of what has happened.

"Formula One is great, growing, very popular, fantastic, so business rises above it all.

"A hard-nosed businessman will make a decision on spending money in Formula One, irrespective of the Mosleys of this world. They are not going to dictate the economic benefits.

"It is very clear Formula One in general is a huge advertising platform because of the number of eyes viewing the TV, second only to the Olympics and the World Cup.

"As a businessman, I have used Formula One as a platform for the past 12 years, and now other businesses can use Force India as their platform to reach out.

"That is not going to be affected by Mosley or anybody else. I've my sponsors and they don't care.

"They don't really know who Mosley is and don't care who he is!" More at Sporting Life