Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is worried Max Mosley's authority as FIA president may have been weakened despite winning a vote of confidence.

After reports about Mosley's private life, Ecclestone and several organisations suggested he should resign.

But in a secret ballot at an extraordinary meeting of the FIA's general assembly, Mosley was gien a vote of confidence to carry as the head of world motorsport's governing body.

However, some of the organisations that voted against Mosley were so upset by the ballot result, they have threatened to break away from the FIA.

Ecclestone said: "It's going to be difficult for him to act as president of the FIA if the people who said before they don't want to meet with him maintain that position."

Before the vote, Ecclestone came under pressure from outside influences to force Mosley to resign.

Those influences are thought to have included key players in Formula One.

Ecclestone said: "I hope it hasn't destabilised sponsors or manufacturers.

"We are now in a position where nobody quite knows what will happen.

"All those who said things in the past, I don't imagine they are going to change their opinion now. They won't feel differently to the way they felt before."

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