Mosley calls Extraordinary FIA meeting as pressure grows

Expect Mosley to file a huge lawsuit against News of the World

Max Mosley called on the FIA Thursday to hold an Extraordinary General Assembly meeting as soon as possible as the fall-out continued from newspaper revelations that he was engaged in sex acts with prostitutes that involved Nazi role-playing. The moves comes as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Honda all called on the FIA to address the issues arising out of the article published in the News of the World last Sunday.

"The full membership of the FIA will be invited to attend the meeting at which the widespread publicity following an apparently illegal invasion of the FIA President's privacy will be discussed," said motorsports' ruling body in a statement.

"The FIA has noted that Mr. Mosley is preparing legal proceedings against the newspaper in question.

"It is anticipated that the meeting will take place in Paris. It will be held on the earliest practicable date. No further comments will be made by the FIA regarding the matter at this stage."

Earlier Thursday, BMW and Mercedes-Benz issued a joint statement, calling the content in the article "disgraceful" and demanding a response from FIA.

"The content of the publications is disgraceful. As a company, we strongly distance ourselves from it," said the statement.

"This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as President of the FIA, the global umbrella organization for motoring clubs. Its consequences therefore extend far beyond the motor sport industry. We await a response from the relevant FIA bodies."

Mosley responded in a statement: "Given the history of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, particularly before and during the Second World War, I fully understand why they would wish to strongly distance themselves from what they rightly describe as the disgraceful content of these publications.

"Unfortunately they did not contact me before putting out their statement to ask whether the content was in fact true.

"No doubt the FIA will respond to them in due course, as I am about to respond to the newspaper in question."

The 67-year-old Briton also sent a letter to FIA members on Tuesday, saying he would take legal action against the News of the World over the allegations.

Mosley said he had been the victim of "a covert investigation of my private life and background" and that he intended to continue in his role. Earthtimes.org