From the reports which were current immediately after the initial vote in 91, Ecclestone was largely credited with getting him voted into office.

Max, bless him, has control of the rules. It doesn’t take a great deal of political cunning for such a person to remain in power.

As for the exercise of his authority, which is another meaning of politics, I would suggest that a review of the current state of the WRC, WTC and WSC would tend to negate the word ‘best’ in relation to his performance. When one compares the WRC as it is now with how it was when he took over, there is another word that springs to mind: disasterous.

Mosley, for all his use of the word democracy, is hardly remains in position through the inspired used of political nous. The voting system is heavily weighted in favour of the incumbent – the change being instigated by MRM – so the only way one could oust him would be in response to a particular incident, such as actions on his behalf that bring the sport into disrepute. But even then, with the system of voting the weight of which the FIA struggles under, Mosley, whilst not getting the overwhelming majority normally required of a vote of confidence, did succeed in obtaining a majority of the few voting members. This despite the criticisms of him from the major clubs around the world.

One chap boasted after the vote that he had had control over a third of the vote.

Whilst Mosely has been touted as having this razor sharp brain, his performance outside the protected walls of the FIA presidency has not been especially convincing. The way, according to Carman QC, the Verstappen fire was dealt with, the launch control, the traction control, the use of confidential McLaren data in the Renault team, the farce of the Stepneygate enquiry, the Indy fiasco and so many more would tend in my mind at least, to indicate that he is no more a successful president of the FIA than he’s been a success at anything else he has tried in his life.

As Bernie’s posh front man he was superb. But once the strings were cut it all fell apart.

Mosley’s clever use of his authority, the exercise of his political power in other words, has given us processional racing, the desert of the Ferrari dominated years, the escalation in costs, the exit of manufacturers, the biggest threats to the sport’s very existance and, under his control, scandal after scandal after scandal.

He touts the improvement in safety under his control but even that is challengeable. I don’t want to open old wounds but I would suggest that Ratzengerger’s and Senna’s deaths were not unavoidable.

I would assume Mosley has a lot of charm. He certainly seems to get the journos on his side. But in coming to any conclusion as to his ability as president – a political postion – then one must examine his performance. What has he done with F1, WRC, WTC and WSC? F1 is in the worst state it has been in years.

The ACO is a bunch of amateurs and infighting is the norm yet Le Mans manages to grab the public’s attention. So can it be that hard?

Mind you, I’m with your second para 100%. But even here I’d suggest there is a weakness. Ari knows politics for real. I would suggest that his best option will be to challenge the result through the courts. There might well be a lot of mileage with that tactic.

The vote is weighted so that Vatanen can’t win, he would need a Western whitewash to have a chance but it simply won’t happen unfortunately.