Formula One bosses divided over Mosley

By Alan Baldwin

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Formula One bosses were divided at the Spanish Grand Prix over a call for Max Mosley to stand down as head of the sport's governing body after a sex scandal.

Bosses of all teams except struggling Super Aguri held what some described as a heated meeting with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

One of those present at the Saturday meeting told Reuters that a proposal for a united petition calling on Mosley to quit failed after clear reluctance from Williams, Toro Rosso and champions Ferrari.

A Ferrari spokesman said the team had not been asked to sign anything, while others had no comment.

Mosley has come under pressure to quit after the News of the World published details of what it described as a Nazi-style sado-masochistic orgy with prostitutes.

The 68-year-old Briton is refusing to stand down as International Automobile Federation (FIA) President but faces a confidence vote by secret ballot of the governing body's general assembly on June 3.

While the Formula One teams have no vote, Ecclestone sits on the FIA's world motor sport council.

Some media reports said Ecclestone had added his voice to those calling for Mosley to go. However one of those at the meeting said the Briton had offered to put forward the teams' views to the FIA assembly if they could agree a united stance.