It would be reasonable to think that, given the general distaste for Max Mosley amongst the fans, the allegations against him by the News of the World would have set the F1 world alight with joy at the possibility of his imminent departure. Yet F1 sites (including this one) have been slow to pick up on the story for many reasons.
Most obviously, judging by the reputation of the source of the story, wisdom dictates that it be taken as dubious at best and we await further developments, rather than leaping to conclusions. The F1 media are unused to dealing with this sort of event anyway, it being more the standard fare of the political scene. It may be that we prefer to see the sport in a vacuum, with its personalities' personal lives shielded from too close an inspection; many reactions have reflected this with the idea that what a man does in his spare time is his business alone.
Yet even the closed world of F1 has been infected with curiosity as to the lives of its heroes and villains - we are not averse to chuckling over Kimi Raikkonen's drunken escapades in a gorilla suit, for instance, nor do we avoid mention of Ron Dennis' separation from his wife or Pedro de la Rosa's presence at the birth of his daughter. But the NOTW story confronts us with more than we really wish to know.
I have seen it suggested that, had the participants in this particular alleged cavorting been dressed in bunny suits rather than Nazi uniforms and prisoner dress, all would be well - and it is true that the echoes of Mosley's father strike a very unsavory note. Yet, even without that element, the allegation represents a serious obstacle to Mosley's continuing tenure as president of the FIA.
The irony is that Mosley's assumption of the high moral ground over such matters as the alleged McLaren industrial espionage leaves him with little excuse now that he might have been shown to be less than perfect himself. I felt at the time that he was sticking his neck out to a dangerous extent, although I expected it would be the courts that eventually cut it off. That may still happen but it looks as though he may have made himself a more immediate date with the executioner.
Because he cannot stay if the story is true, regardless of whether Bernie Ecclestone considers it to have been a bit of fun. No man is perfect but we prefer our leaders to at least put on a decent moral front; Max has effectively blown his cover and loses all credibility if the NOTW has not invented the whole thing.
No doubt the matter will be the subject of a lawsuit and we might have to wait for the outcome before any great changes are made. But it does raise the question of who should replace Mosley if he has to go. Already the suggestions begin to multiply, most of them unlikely in view of the FIA's closed election system. I have mentioned before in this blog that Alex Wurz would make a fine president but I do not fool myself into thinking that he has any chance whatsoever. The sad fact is that F1 enthusiasts will not be consulted in the matter and the FIA will probably opt for Todt or Piccinini - never mind that they are obviously compromised by vested interests.
Before this season began, many were the hopes expressed that this time the year would not be soured by events off the circuits. It seems that those hopes have been shattered already. Any publicity is good publicity, they say, but I cannot help but wish that the sport be allowed to subside into unremarked anonimity again. Remember that? When we were anoraks devoted to watching cars being driven quickly in fierce competition and no-one cared what initials the governing body had assumed that particular year.
Still, I bet there'll be some great Max jokes coming out in future...