The former boss of Formula One’s governing body and privacy campaigner Max Mosley has died.
The 81-year-old’s death was confirmed by ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone on Monday afternoon.
Mr Ecclestone told the PA news agency: “He died last night. He was like family to me. We were like brothers. I am pleased in a way because he suffered for too long.”
Born in London on April 13, 1940, Mr Mosley was the son of 1930s British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley.
He served as president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body of F1, from 1993 to 2009.
As well as the years serving at the top of the motorsport world, Mr Mosley was known for his campaigning efforts to strengthen press regulation in the wake of a 2008 privacy High Court battle against a national newspaper.
Mr Mosley successfully sued the publisher of the News Of The World after the newspaper wrongly reported he had attended a “Nazi-themed” sex party.
Mosley senior studied at Oxford University, where he read physics, but later trained as a lawyer and became a barrister whose specialism was patent and trademark law.
His love of motor racing began in his youth and he was involved in Formula 2 for Brabham and Lotus before retiring in 1969.
He founded a car manufacturing company, March Engineering, and oversaw its legal and commercial affairs from 1969 to 1977.
He became the official legal adviser to the Formula One Constructors’ Association (FOCA) in the mid-70s, and helped draw up a peace agreement between it and FISA, F1’s governing body at the time.
He became FISA president in 1991 and two years later took over unopposed at the FIA.
The Williams Racing team were one of the first to pay tribute, tweeting from their official account: “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former FIA president, Max Mosley.
“Our condolences go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.”
