The Indianapolis fiasco has been a major embarrassment for Formula One

Only six cars started the race after Mosley refused to have a new chicane set up, effectively forcing out teams with Michelin tyres for safety reasons.

Minardi head Paul Stoddart called on the FIA president to resign.

But Mosley rejected criticism, saying it would have been unwise to make "fundamental changes" without following tried and tested procedures.

"You cannot do that if you wish to remain a sport," he said.

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"Formula One is a sport which entertains. It is not entertainment disguised as sport.

"But even more importantly it is a dangerous activity and it would be most unwise to make fundamental changes to a circuit without following tried and tested procedures.

"What happened was bad, but it can be put right. This is not true of a fatality.

There are two sides to every story and the seven teams must have a full opportunity to tell theirs Max Mosley

"Suppose there had been a fatal accident - how could we have justified such a breach of our fundamental safety procedures to an American court?"

The seven Michelin-supplied teams refused to race at Indianapolis following two practice-session crashes.

Mosley argued that Michelin's advice had been to not race at full speed through turn 13 rather than to withdraw altogether.

And he claimed the decision was down to the teams, who were offered the option of a Michelin-only speed limit through the corner or using the pit lane on each lap to avoid the turn.

"There was no safety issue with the circuit," he said.

"The problem was some teams had brought the wrong tyres. It would be like making all the athletes in a 100m sprint run barefoot because some had forgotten their shoes."

Mosley has summoned all seven Michelin teams to a world motorsport council meeting on Wednesday to answer charges of bringing the sport into disrepute.

"We will listen carefully to what the teams have to say. There are two sides to every story and the seven teams must have a full opportunity to tell theirs," he said.