Max Mosley has died at the age of 81.
Max Mosley
The former Formula One chief's passing was confirmed by the sport's former CEO and his business partner Bernie Ecclestone who said it was akin to "losing a family member".
Mosley, who had been suffering from cancer, served as President of Formula One's governing body the FIA from 1993 to 2009 before campaigning for tougher regulation of the press after being involved in a sex scandal.
Ecclestone told MailOnline: "It's like losing a family member, he was like a brother to me. We understood each other. It meant that one of us could criticise the other if we didn't like a particular idea. I'd always kept in touch with him and we spoke often.
"Max did a lot of good things for motor sport and did a lot of good things for the motor industry in terms of making cars super safe."
Ecclestone also expressed regret that he didn't do more to support Mosley during the scandal when many want him removed from office.
He added: "One of my big regrets is not speaking out for him during his well-publicised sex scandal but at the time I had the FIA and sponsors all advising against him. But Max was happy, he understood the position I was in. I will miss him."
Mosley was the youngest son of 1930s fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley and began his involvement in motor racing during the 1960s.
He later served three terms as FIA President and oversaw safety reforms in the sport following the death of legendary driver Ayrton Senna in 1994.
In 2008, Mosley won a privacy case against the now-defunct News of the World newspaper after it claimed that he been involved in a 'sick Nazi orgy' and printed photographs and published a video of his involvement in a sadomasochistic sex session.
A judge found there was no evidence of Nazi themes, which sparked Mosley's subsequent campaigning against press regulation.
Max is survived by his wife Jean Mosley, who he married in 1960.
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