Mosley insists he must stay on another year for good of sport

Embattled motor racing chief Max Mosley has urged FIA club presidents to let him stay at the helm of Formula One's governing body until October next year in the interest of the sport.

Details emerged yesterday of a letter from the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president, who is fighting to keep his job in the wake of a sex scandal.

"I think it essential that there should be a smooth transition. If we are to have that we need to wait to 2009," the Briton wrote to the club presidents.

The 68-year-old has said already that he will not seek re-election if he survives a confidence vote by secret ballot of the FIA assembly in Paris next month.

Mosley, who has ignored numerous calls to resign, argued that it would be "irresponsible, even a breach of duty, to walk away from a number of negotiations currently underway, all of which are of fundamental importance to the FIA."

The areas of concern included the FIA's 100-year agreement with Formula One's commercial rights holder and negotiations for the commercial rights to the World Rally Championship.

Mosley said that rights holders CVC and Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One group wanted the right "to control F1 regulations and be allowed to sell the business to anyone" and that the FIA should resist such demands.

"I do not believe we should concede," said Mosley, who warned also that Formula One was facing an imminent major financial crisis.