Motor racing-Vatanen prepared to take on Mosley for FIA helm

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, July 6 (Reuters) - Former world rally champion Ari Vatanen is considering standing against Max Mosley if the Briton seeks re-election as president of motorsport's world governing body.

"At the moment I am consulting the member clubs and am already seeing positive feedback," the 57-year-old Finn told Reuters by telephone from his home in southern France on Monday.

"I am considering standing. I think the time has come for a change," added the four-times Dakar Rally winner.

"I would go for it, even if not sure of winning."

Mosley, 69, said last month that he would not seek a fifth four-year term of office in October as part of a deal with Formula One teams calling for a reform of the sport's governance and threatening a breakaway series.

The Briton has since accused the teams of "dancing on his grave" and suggested that he was under pressure from members of the Paris-based International Automobile Federation (FIA) to stay on.

"I am under pressure now from all over the world to stand for re-election," said Mosley.

"I do genuinely want to stop. But if there is going to be a big conflict with the car industry, for example with the FOTA teams, then I won't stop."