MANAMA, Bahrain — While Ferrari and Renault remain silent on the Max Mosley sex scandal, the other F-1 auto manufacturers issued strong statements condemning his actions.
As a whole, the F-1 community didn’t comment much on the saga for a few days after the news came out. Then on April 3, Mercedes-Benz and BMW put out the following joint statement: “The content of the publications is disgraceful. As a company, we strongly distance ourselves from it.
“This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as president of the FIA, the global umbrella organization for motoring clubs. Its consequences, therefore, extend far beyond the motorsport industry. We await a response from the relevant FIA bodies.”
Contacted by Reuters, Mosley retorted: “Given the history of BMW and Mercedes Benz, particularly before and during the Second World War, I fully understand why they would wish to strongly distance themselves from what they rightly describe as the disgraceful content of these publications. Unfortunately, they did not contact me before putting out their statement to ask whether the content was in fact true.”
But BMW and Mercedes stuck by their statement.
“We had no intention nor have we announced that we will back down from anything,” said BMW’s motorsport director Mario Theissen.
Honda said Mosley’s actions damaged F-1’s reputation.
“The Honda Racing F1 Team [is] extremely disappointed by recent events surrounding Mr. Mosley, and we are concerned that the reputation of F-1 and all its participants is being damaged,” a Honda statement said. “We request that the FIA gives this matter careful consideration and reaches an immediate decision in the best interests of F-1 and motorsports.”
Toyota called for high standards of behavior.
“Toyota Motorsport does not approve of any behavior which could be seen to damage F-1’s image, in particular any behavior which could be understood to be racist or anti-Semitic,” said Toyota’s statement.
“Senior figures within any sport or business, including motorsports, must adhere to high standards of behavior. When all the facts are known, it will be for the FIA to decide whether Mr. Mosley has met the moral obligations which come with the position of FIA President.”

• The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain wrote to Max Mosley asking him not to attend the race. “In light of the allegations…I felt it important to convey the position of Bahrain and its people,” he said in the letter. “The focus quite rightly should be on the race. With great regret I feel that under the current circumstances, it would be inappropriate for you to be in Bahrain at this time.”

• Although McLaren had a garage in the middle of pit lane in Australia and Malaysia, the team was allocated the last garage in Bahrain where it rightly should be because it was classed last in the 2007 Constructors’ Championship.

• Robert Kubica won the first pole of his F-1 career and the first for BMW Sauber. It led to the inevitable “Pole on pole” headlines. This was his 25th GP and the 38th for the team. As he is the first Polish F-1 driver, this was also the first pole for a Pole.

• Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen raced in the Speedcar stockcar series in Bahrain, joining series regular ex-F-1 drivers Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Stefan Johansson, Gianni Morbidelli, J.J. Lehto and Ukyo Katayama.

• Lewis Hamilton walked away from a heavy crash late in practice Friday. He lost control as the back end of his McLaren kicked out on a curb, then slid across the track and slammed sideways into a tire-lined barrier. The team had to put in an all-nighter to build up a new car.

• Asked about Max Mosley, McLaren’s Ron Dennis said: “It’s the inevitable question, but this team is not involved; I am not involved. And I have no further comment to make on the subject.”

• Sebastian Vettel confirmed that McLaren talked to Red Bull about signing him for 2008. “They talked about me and I was involved,” he said in Bahrain. “In the end, it didn’t happen. I think it was serious. I was not in a Mercedes dealership and somebody asked me! People were serious.”

• Fernando Alonso clarified stories reported in the Spanish press that he has a get-out clause in his Renault contract that would allow him to join Ferrari in 2009.
“I don’t remember that,” he said in Bahrain, “and I signed for two years with Renault. But as we saw last year the contracts are always very flexible.”
You might not remember the quote, but does the clause exist, a reporter asked.
“No,” Alonso replied.

• Brendon Hartley, 18, spent three days secretly shaking down the new Toro Rosso F-1 car at Italy’s Viarano circuit last week. Toro Rosso called on the teenager to do the test because its regular drivers Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel were busy racing in Malaysia and Bahrain.
Scott Dixon was the last New Zealander to test an F-1 car when he drove a Williams BMW in 2005. The last Kiwi to race in F-1 was Mike Thackwell in Canada in 1984.

• After 18 years as Williams’ front jack man on pit stops, Bob Davis is going to “retire” to look after the cars in the Williams F-1 museum.