Hamburg  - The world's largest auto club, the American Automobile Association (AAA), late Friday joined calls for Max Mosley to resign as president of the governing motorsport body FIA over a sex affair.

"AAA recognizes that Mr Mosley has dedicated many years of his life to advancing the interests of mobility and motorsport. However, after careful consideration, AAA has conveyed to Mr Mosley that it would be in the best interest of all concerned if he were to step down," AAA public relations managing director Yolanda Clark was quoted as saying by news reports.

Clark named the damage done by the revelations about Mosley "clearly public."

She said that the FIA and its leader "must uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior... to exercise the moral authority required to represent millions of motorists."

The AAA, the world's largest automobile body with more than 50 million members, joined auto clubs from other nations such as Germany and the Netherlands in the call for Mosley to quit.

Last Sunday, British paper News of the World reported that Mosley was engaged in sex acts with prostitutes that involved Nazi role- playing.

Mosley, the son of British Union of Fascists founder Sir Oswald Mosley, has not disputed that he is the man seen in a video but denied a Nazi connotation.

He said he will not resign but he has called an extraordinary general meeting of the FIA membership to deal with the issue.

The meeting can, however, only be held in six weeks as time-frames have to be followed. It is likely that Mosley will come under increasing pressure in the time leading up to the meeting.

Apart from the automobile clubs, former racing drivers such as three-time world champion Jackie Steward have called for Mosley to resign.

Car makers including BMW, Mercedes, Honda and Toyota have sharply critizised the 67-year-old. Mosley's invitation to come to Bahrain for the current Formula One Grand Prix was also withdrawn by Bahrain crown prince Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

Mosley has reportedly also started legal action against the paper, allegedly claiming "unlimited damages" over invasion of his privacy. (dpa)