FEBRUARY 21, 2001

EM.TV deal may not be passed through - Mosley

THE proposed deal for German media groups EM.TV and Kirch to buy a further stake in Formula One may not be approved, FIA president Max Mosley said on Tuesday.

Mosley said he was against the deal, which could see the EM.TV/Kirch partnership hold 75 per cent in SLEC, Bernie Ecclestone's family trust which holds the commercial rights to the sport.

He insisted "it is not good" for Formula One and admitted that he would like to see a consortium of five leading Grand Prix car manufacturers purchase a stake in SLEC. Mosley also revealed that the EM.TV/Kirch deal hinges on a decision from the FIA's general assembly.

"The manufacturers would be positive," Mosley said. "They would bring stability and they are easier to deal with from the FIA's point of view because they are looking at the bigger picture.

"EM.TV is not good - I hope we can get it sorted. We (the FIA) have to be satisfied and if we are not satisfied then we can terminate the contract. That is the bottom line.

"The general assembly has 60 days in which to say whether they are satisfied. It is really down to them to say whether they are satisfied."