fia

Max Mosley has been head of the FIA for 15 years. Earlier this year, he pledged that when his term ends next year, he would step down - and that was before the infamous sex scandal. Yet even after the turpitude, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone - whose Christmas card brought the whole thing up again - noted there was no way that Max would step down, saying, "I've always said that Max will be the president until he dies" because he believes Mosley enjoys confrontation and power.

Formula One impresario Bernie Ecclestone's Christmas tradition is to send a mischievous card to friends. The past few years he probably hasn't had to work too hard to come up with something -- in fact, it's probably taken more time to figure out which particular F1 shenanigan he wanted to portray.

The points system used by Formula 1 has been the subject of debate for years. When the system was expanded after 2002 and began offering points up to eighth position, people thought that would create more suspense since Michael Schumacher was running off with the trophies every year. It didn't work, and now with Schumacher gone, all the points system tends to reward is consistency over winning. Lewis Hamilton won five races this year and Felipe Massa won six, but Lewis Hamilton is the world champion because he scored more points.

While everyone's favorite whipping boy goes around gallivanting with hookers dressed up like Nazis, the sanctioning body responsible for most of the top-level motor racing around the world has nominated an American with a solid reputation as its Deputy President.

Citing the ridiculously spiraling costs associated with engine development, the FIA sent out a statement seeking drivetrain suppliers for every Formula 1 team starting in 2010, meaning that the same engine/trans combo would be fitted to every car on the grid. The company that gets the contract would either build and supply the engines or design and supervise the building of them so they meet a specified range.

Rumors have been circulating that CVC, the commercial rights holders to Formula One, have considered selling the series. But before that could happen, they would have to give Bernie Ecclestone the boot.

Every racing fan has his favorite series. In most of the world, that'll probably be Formula One. In the United States, fans love their NASCAR. In parts of Europe they might follow DTM, but with few exceptions that's pretty much it. Except for Le Mans. Come June, everybody's attention turns to France. But that's just once a year, and sportscar racing continues around the world and around the calendar in such leagues as the LMS, ALMS and FIA GT Championship.