London (AFP)

Britain's Max Mosley, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) from 1993 to 2009, died at the age of 81, former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said on Monday.

"Max was like a member of my family, to me. We were like brothers. In a way, I'm relieved, because he's been in pain for too long," Ecclestone told UK agency PA.

Mosley, who was diagnosed with cancer, suffered a family tragedy when his son, Alexander (39), who suffered from depression, died of a cocaine overdose in 2009.

Born in London on April 13, 1940, Max Mosley was the son of Oswald Mosley, founder in the 1930s of the British Union of Fascists party.

After studying physics and then law at Oxford, he became a lawyer specializing in patent and trademark matters.

He had developed a taste for motor racing early on, which had led him to the Fomule 2 team at Barbham and Lotus, until his retirement as a driver in 1969.

He was then co-founder and team manager before occupying various positions at the top of world motorsport, including three terms as president of the FIA.

In July 2008, he had obtained more than 76,000 euros in damages from the Sunday weekly News of the World, which accused him of having taken part in a "Nazi orgy".

British justice had estimated that the scene of sado-masochist frolics, of which the newspaper had diffused photos and a video on its site, did not present of character "Nazi" and that the recording of the video was not justified by the public's right to information.

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