Bernie Ecclestone made it clear at the Spanish Formula 1 GP that he is in favour of Max Mosley quitting as president of the International Automobile Federation.
Scotland's former F1 champion Jackie Stewart has also called for Mosley, 68, to step down as boss of world motorsport's ruling body in atonement for being caught in a sex fetish session with prostitutes.
Ecclestone is one of Mosley's oldest friends and business associates.
Stewart believed it was "impossible" for Mosley to continue after being filmed with the women.
"He's gone beyond anything they would tolerate," Stewart said in reply to questions about how F1's leading sponsors felt about the controversy. "He has to go."
Ecclestone was behind a proposal at a meeting of F1's team bosses last Saturday at the Circuit de Catalunya that called for a joint statement from them all to seek Mosley's resignation.
Ecclestone said he would add his signature to the statement if all the teams could agree but three declined - Ferrari, Toro Rosso and Williams.
One paddock source said: "It is not just that he performed these lurid acts but also that he fails to see how he has become not only a laughing stock but also a figure of vilification."
As the F1 paddock waits for Mosley's future to be decided, either by his resignation or at a meeting of the FIA in Paris on June 3, has few supporters still prepared to speak for him.
Many major sponsors are understood to be waiting for the outcome of the June 3 meeting before committing to the future - a situation that makes the prospect of the forthcoming Monaco GP farce-like.
Not only will the normal round of sponsors' parties - where many deals are made and confirmed - on the palatial yachts in the harbour be overshadowed by the Mosley scandal but Mosley has insisted he will attend.
Ferrari's Jean Todt is likely to be recruited as the new president and Mosley's replacement. - AFP