LONDON, May 31, 2008 (AFP) - Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday called on International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley to step down from his position.

Ecclestone had previously stood by his long-time friend after newspaper stories about his private life.

Mosley goes before the FIA member clubs in Paris on Tuesday in a vote of confidence that he hopes will give him a mandate to carry on.

But Ecclestone believes it is in the best interests of the sport, the FIA and Mosley himself not to risk the humiliation of defeat.

"He should go out of responsibility for the institution he represents," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph.

"Everyone I speak to in a position of authority in F1 says he should go. It´s regretful he´s not made this decision."

Mosley was accused of taking part in a alleged Nazi-style sex orgy with five London prostitutes by the News of the World newspaper. He denies the Nazi connotations and has launched a libel claim against the newspaper.

And the 68-year-old hopes he will be given a vote of confidence in Paris on Tuesday to remain in his job until the end of his tenure in October 2009.

Ecclestone said it would be better if Mosley went of his own accord.

"The general feeling is that people would no longer be comfortable speaking to him in the same way," he said.

"I have spoken to Max about this and advised him to retire at the end of the year at the FIA general assembly in November. I would be happy to sit at his side to help him to achieve that.

"The last thing most people involved in the sport, including the clubs, would want to see is Max in a position where he could be forced to stand down.

"I don´t want to see that. I´ve been a friend of Max for 40 years. I would hate to see him go this way after all he has done for the sport.

"Since the story broke I have been under enormous pressure from the people who invest in Formula One, sponsors and manufacturers, over this issue.

"They point out that as a chief executive or chief operating officer of a major company they would have gone either immediately or within 24 hours, in the same circumstances. They cannot understand why Max has not done the same."