The 69-year-old, who had last month hinted he might go back on an earlier decision to stand down, revealed his decision in a letter to FIA members.

"I have decided to reconfirm my decision - I will not be a candidate in October," Mosley wrote.

Mosley has endorsed former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt as his successor. Yes, because luckily Todt's won't, you know, be rooting for any one team, right? Oh wait, yeah, he might be.

We've received a copy of the letter from FIA and have republished images of the scanned PDF file below along with a quick biography on Mosley. Click next to read through the whole shebang.

Max Rufus Mosley (born 13 April 1940) is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide. The FIA is also the governing body for Formula One and other international motorsports.

A former barrister and amateur racing driver, Mosley was a founder and co-owner of March Engineering, a successful racing car constructor and Formula One racing team. He looked after legal and commercial issues for the company between 1969 and 1977. In the late 1970s, Mosley became the official legal adviser to the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA), the body which represents Formula One constructors. In this role he drew up the first version of the Concorde Agreement, which settled a long-standing dispute between FOCA and the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA), the then governing body of Formula One. Mosley was elected president of FISA in 1991 and became president of the FIA, FISA's parent body, in 1993. Mosley has identified his major achievement as FIA President as the promotion of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP or Encap), a European car safety performance assessment programme. He has also promoted increased safety and the use of green technologies in motor racing. In 2008, stories about his sex life appeared in the British press. Despite the controversy, Mosley retained his position.

Mosley is the son of Oswald Mosley, former leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF), and Diana Mitford. He was educated in France, Germany and Britain before going on to attend university at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with a degree in physics. In his teens and early twenties Mosley was involved with his father's post-war political party, the Union Movement (UM). He has said that the association of his surname with fascism stopped him from developing his interest in politics further, although he briefly worked for the Conservative Party in the early 1980s. [via Wikipedia]

Photo Credit: Paul Gilham / Getty Images Sport

[via FIA]

[via FIA]

The death has not been ruled as suspicious, though GrandPrix.com is reporting on speculation it was the result of a drug overdose. His father has canceled a trip to the Spanish GP in order be with his family.

[F1 Live, GrandPrix.com]

Photo Credit: SkyNews

Ferrari Statement
"The Board of Directors of Ferrari SpA met today under the chairmanship of Luca di Montezemolo, to examine the third quarter results. The Board of Directors also examined the proposed changes to the Formula One regulations, in the light of the current global economic crisis.

"Whilst reiterating its wholehearted commitment to a substantial and needed reduction in costs in Formula One, starting with propulsion, the Ferrari Board of Directors expressed strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that such a move would detract from the entire raison of a sport with which Ferrari has been involved continuously since 1950, a raison d’etre based principally on competition and technological development.

"The Board of Directors expressed the opinion that should these key elements be diminished, it would have to re-evaluate, with its partners the viability of continuing its presence in the sport."

[F1-Live]

Mosley's Case: British laws protecting the rights of individuals against the press extend to him and this was a completely private affair.

News Of The World's Case: Mosley is a public figure and he committed a serious act of "depravity" and the public has a right to know about it.

X Factor: The witness who was the biggest part of the setup, Woman E, was supposed to testify that there was a specific request for a Nazi theme. She never showed up.

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: Because British laws are so strong on this point, we're pretty sure NOTW is going to lose this case. But it isn't going to make problems like this go away.

[NY Times]

In his libel suit against NOTW for publishing the story, Mosely told the judge:

"It's just more - fun is probably the wrong word - but it's much better if accompanied by something which seems to justify what is going on."

Don't you see everyone? We're the sick ones. The prison uniforms, the SS-style guard uniforms, the speaking in a weirdo German accent. How dare we think that's in any way related to Nazism! [SkyNews]

To be fair, Bin Sulayem is a former rally driver and mover-and-shaker in the racing scene in that part of the world and could very well view this on moral grounds, but we don't think he should have called the setup a "terrorist attack on his personal life." How did he do it? Bin Sulayem claims to have controlled around 40 votes, mostly from African countries, which swayed the decision in favor of Mosley. Bin Sulayem is actually the guy behind the SLR-powered Mercedes SLK and, apparently, a big Michael Jackson fan. Just when you started to think F1 was actually about the racing. (h/t to PhkMark)

[Photo: Getty Images, GMM via F1-Live]

Letter From Mosley To Clubs

Dear Presidents

Thank you for your letter of 28 May.

I will use your numbering in this reply.

1. I did not accept the proposal from some (but not, as you incorrectly suggest, all) members of the Mobility World Council because it was the worst possible solution. I would have resigned, yet still spent the summer carrying out all the day-to-day work with neither the time nor the authority to complete the major outstanding tasks. Better to stop immediately than accept this muddled compromise.

Your suggestion of a "crisis" is nonsense. Although I am personally embarrassed and greatly regret that this affair has become public, no one fails to call for roadside assistance because of it.

As I said in my earlier letters, the communications I received from club presidents were overwhelmingly in favour of my remaining as president. I therefore had no choice but to submit the question to the FIA membership as a whole. I certainly could not have simply ignored the majority and resigned.

2. Some of the larger clubs among those who have signed your letter have previously contradicted their claimed commitment to the FIA. See the sample responses of the AAA, ADAC, ANWB, JAF, and TCS to the FIA Survey of 5 February 2008 attached. These same clubs have, of course, been trying to change the structure of the FIA since well before the events they now seek to exploit.

As stated in my letter of 23 May, several of these same clubs have formed groups separate from the FIA from which the wider FIA membership is excluded. Worse, they have obstructed our efforts to improve cooperation between all clubs. Combined with a complete lack of transparency, I believe these activities are contrary to the interests of the FIA.

3. Mr Ecclestone is willing to continue working with the FIA because he has a binding contract to do so. In his letter to the clubs, he says he is now willing to live with this contract. That is a sudden and major change in position.

Together with other member clubs of the FIA you will be free to express your views to the Assembly next Tuesday.

In the interest of transparency, I am sending a copy of your letter together with this reply to all the member clubs of the FIA.

Yours sincerely

Max Mosley

FIA SURVEY

The FIA launched the first major online survey of its member clubs on 5 February 2008. The survey received a very positive response to its detailed questions from 57 leading clubs around the world.

The majority of the responses endorsed the FIA's plans to improve cooperation and coordination throughout the FIA club network in both motoring and motor sport, for example, 87 per cent agreed that the FIA brand added value to member clubs and 82% also agreed that sport can be used to promote mobility issues.

However, a small minority of clubs, representing the major individual membership markets of America, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan demonstrated a consistently negative view to their involvement and interaction within the FIA community.

The following are some examples of the negative responses made to the member survey. They highlight a disagreement with some of the fundamental objectives set by both World Councils following the merger of the AIT and the FIA.

When asked if the FIA was the best forum to bring together the policy expertise of clubs worldwide, the ADAC disagreed.

When asked if FIA Sport could help to promote FIA Mobility issues, particularly in terms of safety and the environment, the ADAC disagreed.

When asked if the promotional links between the sporting side of the FIA and the non-sporting side should be strengthened, the ANWB, the ADAC and the TCS disagreed.

When asked if your club would be interested in more active support from the FIA in developing and communicating policy campaigns the ADAC and the ANWB disagreed.

When asked if a Working Group with representatives from all FIA Regions would help to strengthen the link between the sporting and mobility sides of the FIA and its sister organisations, JAF, the ANWB and the TCS disagreed.

When asked if your club would like to use the FIA brand on its website and other external communications material, JAF, the AAA and the ADAC disagreed. (Emphasis in original)

He then ended the letter with "Zank You Very Much!"

[Autosport]

According to AutoSport, a group of FIA chiefs drafted a letter offering Mosley a rigged vote of confidence in order for him to be able to save face if he'd just drop out. He could have the votes, but he couldn't stay in the race. Sorry, we mean as an official for the races. Not surprisingly, Mosley rejected this too-kind offer because he think he's going to win a vote of confidence on June 3rd, despite the fact that officials representing 24 clubs in 22 countries recently indicated they are against keeping him in power. (h/t PhkMark)

[AutoSport, F1-Live, AutoSport, Photo: Getty]

The agent has been fired, of course, if only for the fact that the head of MI5 had to have a meeting to tell PM Gordon Brown that they weren't involved in the Nazi-style sex orgy. This also ties in weirdly to Mosley's father, the infamous British fascist, who was spied on and turned in by MI5. This is totally going to turn Mosley's Nixon-esque persecution paranoia, clearly on display in Mosley's letter to the FIA, up to 11. We can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. Thanks to all the sick, sick individuals who sent in tips [The Times]

Just as a little background, Bernie Ecclestone is the commercial rights holder to Formula One and he's been trying to get more control of the sport from FIA. Obviously, FIA wants to be able to maintain some control of the sport. But we think it's maybe taking it a bit far to say that Mosley is the only person that can stop Ecclestone, that he actually cares to stop Ecclestone or that Ecclestone can be stopped at all. And now, for your Nixon-speak:

"Anyone could stand and there would be no list to stabilise the process and ensure that each candidate had the support of a real cross-section of FIA member clubs. During the two to four month election period, the complex negotiations (with Ecclestone/CVC) ....would necessarily slow or even cease. A new president would then take over with no knowledge of the background and, worse, might perhaps have been elected with the support of the very people with whom we are negotiating."

"I have been determined to fight for the rights and role of the FIA in F1 and it is possibly for this reason that the media have been encouraged by those who have an interest in undermining my Presidency."

"I believe, therefore, that whatever the Extraordinary General Assembly decides, it should not reward those who have deliberately set out to destabilise the FIA at such a crucial time in its history."

"This will give me the time I need to progress the current negotiations to the point where proposals safeguarding the fundamental interests of the FIA can be submitted to the WMSC (World Motor Sport Council) and the General Assembly."

"It will also give me time to pursue the legal proceedings I have started against those who have caused so much unnecessary trouble and embarrassment. Above all, it will allow a smooth and orderly transition to a new presidency satisfactory to the membership as a whole."

"I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice. People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got."

(h/t PhkMark) [A full account at Autosport.com]

Mosley will still probably attend the actual race at Moncao, but in no official capacity. In fact, the Monaco Royal Family has pretty much made clear that they're happy with the idea of old Max keeping his distance from parties, paddocks and especially princes. This effectively means that Mosley won't be acting as the head of the FIA, though he still doesn't seem to be poised to resign. We guess that it's the whole stiff upper lip (and whatever else) thing going on. (h/t PhkMark) [F1 Live]

The orgy characterized by NOTW as having a "Nazi theme" took place on Friday at a $4 million apartment-cum-dungeon near Mosley's home in London's upscale Chelsea neighborhood.

As President of FIA, Mosley is responsible for overseeing international motor sports, including Formula One. He enjoys a close relationship with F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Mosley's father Oswald was a notorious fascist and Hitler supporter. Max has been controversially linked to his father's beliefs.

Kicking off the orgy by playing a detainee, Mosley had both his genitals and head inspected for lice, in a way reminiscent to portrayals of incoming concentration camp detainees, before lying to the hookers to purposefully bring about a severe beating. After the session ended, the girls enjoyed a glass of wine. Mosley was offered one as well, but turned it down in favor of a cup of tea. It's not known what ramifications this will have on Mosley's career or the sport he governs. [Via News Of The World]

UPDATE:Mosley got to keep his job despite acknowledging he participated in an encounter with sex workers in a basement apartment in London. On top of that, Mosley also headed to the UK courts to claim characterizations of Nazi overtones by NOTW were completely invalid, and even if they were valid, it was done in the privacy of someone else's home.

UK High Court judge David Eady apparently agreed on both of those counts. In a ruling hailed by the former Archbishop of Canterbury as a 'dangerous precedent' undermining public morality, the News of the World must now pay Mosley $120,000 in damages, plus legal costs of an estimated $1.7 million, for making the claim. Thanks to legal threats from Mosley's attorneys waving about Eady's ruling, we've removed the NOTW video from our own site, or else face similar attacks on our own free speech.