Mosley to stand down - Ecclestone

Max Mosley will not stand for another term as president of Formula 1's governing body, according to F1's commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Ecclestone told The Times newspaper he had no doubt that Mosley would honour an agreement to step down in October.

"I have no doubt in my mind, as long as I've known Max, he's always done what he said he would do," said Ecclestone.

"I've always said Max can have a cheque signed by me, without a name or amount on it, because he's a trustworthy guy."

Mosley, 69, said last month he would not seek a fifth four-year term of office as FIA president when his current terms expires in October.

He made the announcement as part of a peace deal struck with Formula 1 teams threatening a breakaway championship - but Mosley later revealed he is subsequently under pressure to stay on and that he was keeping his options open.

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" It appears that Max Mosley's latest manoeuvrings in the political battle in the sport have backfired. "

However, Ecclestone, 78, has refuted that this means Mosley will run for election, and the president's comments are more born from anger at Formula One Teams' Association (Fota) chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who described him as "a dictator".

"He said his options are open but he didn't say what they were going to be, did he?" said Ecclestone.

"He was a bit upset after agreements had been made to be quiet and not throw stones at each other, and then remarks were made which upset him."

Ecclestone added that he remains confident the breakaway will not happen.

"There are probably a couple of people in all the teams who would like to see it happen," he said. "But, no, I don't think it will happen.

"I think people realise that the Formula One World Championship has been going for 60 years, it is well established, we've got the best circuits in the world and I don't think they've even thought through really how there could be a breakaway."

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" He has changed his mind before back in 2004 when he decided to stay on so what's to say that he won't do it again. "

The threat appeared to have been averted last month when Mosley and Fota - an umbrella group for eight F1 teams including Ferrari, McLaren and Renault - struck a peace deal following months of wrangling over the sport's future.

This came after Fota had threatened to pull out of F1 over Mosley's plans to introduce budgetary and technical restrictions in 2010 as part of his bid to welcome new teams into the sport.

However, despite agreeing to step down as part of the deal, Mosley subsequently accused the Fota teams of "dancing on his grave" and suggested he was under pressure from members of the Paris-based FIA to re-stand.

"I am under pressure now from all over the world to stand for re-election," said Mosley. "I do genuinely want to stop, but if there is going to be a big conflict with the car industry, for example with the Fota teams, then I won't stop."

Finnish former world rally champion Ari Vatanen, 57, has already confirmed that he will stand for election as FIA president saying, "I think the time has come for a change."

He could be challenged for the role by former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt, who is widely seen as Mosley's preferred successor should he step down.

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