Almost four years after the News of the World scandal first broke, Max Mosley is still chasing the saga in court.
Since early 2008 when Briton Mosley was filmed with five prostitutes, the 71-year-old’s reign as FIA president has ended and the British tabloid closed.

But despite winning a similar case in Britain, his lawyers have been in France’s Tribunal de Grande Instance this week pressing another case against the report’s chief reporter.

Because the News of the World report and video footage was available within France, Mosley sued journalist Neville Thurlbeck for defamation and breach of privacy.

He is seeking EUR 100,000 in damages from both the News of the World and Thurlbeck, according to The Guardian.

“Every copy of the paper distributed was a thorn in the skin of Mr Mosley. Every one was a prejudice,” said Mosley’s lawyer Philippe Ouakrat.

But Thurlbeck’s lawyer told the hearing on Tuesday that Mosley should not be able to sue twice for the same offense.

“Mr Mosley has already gained satisfaction in England,” said Jean-Frederic Gaultier. “This case here is not about justice but about vengeance.”

The News Corporation scandal might have damaged the Murdochs’ plans to take over formula one.
That is the claim of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who said he feels “sorry” for Rupert Murdoch amid the fallout of the phone hacking scandal and closure of the News of the World.

Earlier, FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh insisted he thinks News will survive the scandal to be “alive and powerful” again.

“I’m terribly sorry for Rupert, who I know quite well, and James (Murdoch) because they are running their businesses very well,” Ecclestone told the Telegraph.

“If they were to bid for F1 they might find that people would object to it. We have still had no contact from News Corp about a takeover of F1.”

The 80-year-old also ruled out a move for F1 to Murdoch’s pay-TV networks and said he hoped the sport stayed with the BBC in Britain.

“Let’s wait and see about the BBC because at the moment they want to make a noise,” said Ecclestone.

“I can’t see how the BBC could cancel (its contract). We could probably sue them.”

Ferrari has rubbished suggestions Jenson Button could be set to switch from McLaren.

A source at the famous Italian team reportedly told the News of the World this week that Button, 31, was being sounded out as a replacement for Felipe Massa.

“The Brazilian is now well used to this ritual, as it began almost before he set foot in the Scuderia,” said Ferrari’s anonymous website columnist The Horse Whisperer, referring to near-constant speculation about Massa’s future.

The latest names linked to his race cockpit have been Nico Rosberg and now Briton Button.

“It goes without saying that, yet again, this is just a load of twaddle, to use a polite word for what I really mean to say,” added the Ferrari columnist.

Indeed, widespread media reports are now saying Button is in fact set to extend his deal with McLaren for 2012 and beyond.

The Daily Mirror is the latest publication to reveal that the 2009 world champion is set to agree a new two-year contract with a $3 million per season pay rise.

“The deal has to be finalised before the end of July, but may be announced at the British grand prix,” said writer Byron Young.

The Mirror report added that German Rosberg, 25, “approached McLaren” about Button’s seat but is now expected to stay at Mercedes.

McLaren is willing to give Jenson Button a pay-rise to stop him moving to Ferrari, the Daily Mail reports on Monday.
The 2009 world champion revealed last week that the Woking based team he joined last season “has an option on me for next year”.

At the same time Button, 31, said he is reluctant to agree a new long-term deal, despite boss Martin Whitmarsh admitting he would “quickly” ink a new multi-year contract with the former Brawn driver.

The latest twist in the story was a Ferrari source telling the News of the World newspaper that Ferrari has “checked” with Button’s management to see when Button is available as a replacement for Felipe Massa.

Hours after that report was published, the Daily Mail said McLaren is “ready to hand Jenson Button a pay rise”.

The newspaper said the British team is taking up the 2012 option on Button “but are so happy with his performances” that in the next few weeks McLaren is “likely to offer him an extended deal on improved terms”.

Max Mosley has failed in his bid to force media outlets to notify individuals before stories about their personal lives are published.

Dating back to the News of the World’s 2008 expose about the former FIA president’s allegedly Nazi-themed sadomasochistic orgy with prostitutes, the Briton took his case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in January.

His opponents argued that Mosley’s action could “imperil investigative journalism” and lead to newspapers “folding” if individuals got a chance to argue in court before the stories about them were published.

In a ruling on Tuesday, the court disagreed with Mosley on the grounds of freedom of speech, with the 71-year-old tipped to appeal the decision.

“I’m obviously disappointed,” said Mosley. “It’s not finished yet.”

Max Mosley’s crusade against newspapers breaching personal privacy will head next week to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

In 2008, the former FIA president was the subject of an investigative piece by the News of the World showing the then 67-year-old Mosley engaged in what the tabloid alleged was Nazi-themed sado-masochistic sex with prostitutes.

The Briton won a round of legal action against media outlets and then filed against the United Kingdom, asking that individuals be given the chance to argue in court before newspapers can publish stories about personal lives.

A media lawyer told the Press Gazette that, if successful, Mosley’s action could “imperil investigative journalism” and lead to newspapers “folding”.

“There will be a radically different press if he is successful with a lot of the colour taken away,” said Caroline Kean.

The case will begin on Tuesday with opening addresses by barristers, but the outcome is not expected to be known for some months.

“Proper investigative journalism should not be affected (by the action); unlawful sex exposes should be,” said Mosley’s lawyer Dominic Crossley. “There needs to be a proper practical remedy for privacy rights that works.”

Red Bull has moved yet again to quell suggestions the flexible wing saga curbed the dominance of its RB6.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton re-fired the saga in recent days, suggesting that Adrian Newey’s 2010 car is no longer as dominant as it was in Hungary in August because the FIA had yet to clamp down on the bodywork rules.

“After that Red Bull had to rebuild their car and take a step back,” he said.

And Hamilton’s teammate Jenson Button also mentioned the modified RB6 when asked about the likely performance of Red Bull this weekend in Japan.

“Suzuka suits Red Bull particularly well,” he told the Cologne newspaper Express, “but they’ve had to make some changes to the front wing and the floor.

“They won’t be as dominant as they were in Budapest any more,” said the Briton.

Indeed, Red Bull Racing did arrive at Monza with modified wings and underbody, and at the same time Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso began his winning streak.

But Newey told Auto Motor und Sport: “The modifications had nothing to do with the FIA.  We passed the new tests at Monza with ease.”

And team boss Christian Horner dismissed the latest talk about the legality of the RB6 as frivolous.

“There haven’t been many bits they (Red Bull’s rivals) haven’t complained about,” he is quoted by News of the World.

Michael Schumacher has admitted that age may be a factor in his struggle to get back up to speed after returning to formula one this year.

To date, having returned with Mercedes in 2010 following a three year retirement, the seven time world champion has explained his lack of results as due mainly to technical factors, including today’s Bridgestone tyres and the characteristics of the W01 car.

But the German is now quoted by News of the World: “At the end of the day there are physics.  How can a 41-year-old be as good as a top-level 23 or 24-year-old?

“I have experience and a high level of speed, but if it is the same as at my high periods in Ferrari I don’t think we will ever know,” added Schumacher.

“At Ferrari I had been working for ten years to make that level.  This time I have been with a whole new team just for one year.”

Schumacher, having won a record 91 grand prix victories between 1992 and 2006, has not appeared on the podium so far in 2010, and is 58 points behind his 25-year-old teammate Nico Rosberg.

Lewis Hamilton has backtracked after initially refusing to sign a helmet for organisers of Abu Dhabi’s formula one race.

It emerged earlier this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps that every driver on the grid had signed the helmet that will be used for a prize, with only the 2008 world champion demanding to be paid.

But Hamilton, recently listed as F1′s highest earner behind Fernando Alonso, has now vowed to add his autograph, after initially misunderstanding what the helmet would be used for.

“I would never ask for money to sign anything,” he is quoted by News of the World.

“The only thing I ever ask is whether it is for charity.”

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh confirmed: “Lewis has said he will sign it.

“Both Lewis and Jenson do more signature signings than any driver I have ever witnessed and they do it with good grace.  They never ask for money,” he insisted.

Fernando Alonso has admitted he will try to avoid sharing a formula one team with Lewis Hamilton in the future.

The pair famously clashed when, as the reigning double world champion, Spaniard Alonso moved to McLaren in 2007 and was paired with then rookie Hamilton.

But Alonso, 28, has always said it was the team’s management that he really clashed with, and the pair are now occasionally seen chatting in the paddock.

“I would have no problems being Fernando’s teammate again,” said Briton Hamilton.

“I don’t have any issues with him.  I think he is a great champion and a great driver.”

But according to Britain’s News of the World, Ferrari driver Alonso has a different view.

When asked if he would like to be Hamilton’s teammate again, he answered: “No.  Not if it was my choice after what happened with us.”

(GMM)