July 7 (Bloomberg) -- Max Mosley, president of Formula One's ruling body, told a London court today there were no Nazi overtones to a sex video published by the U.K. News of the World newspaper.

Mosley is suing the British tabloid for saying he and the women dressed up as concentration camp guards and prisoners. Mosley testified on the first day of the trial today in London that there weren't any political elements in the video.

``Never. Absolutely not,'' Mosley said. ``I can think of few things more un-erotic than Nazi role play.''

The story, which Mosley said was an invasion of privacy unconnected to his public role as head of Formula One, was made worse by the newspaper's implication that Mosley was mocking the way Jewish prisoners were treated by camp guards, his lawyer said. Mosley's father, Oswald Mosley, founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932.

Mark Warby, a lawyer for News of the World, said the news story was legitimate, lawful and in the public interest given that whipping or beating a person is a criminal offense regardless of whether they consent.

``Society through its laws draws a line at causing people injury for the purpose of sexual gratification,'' Warby said. ``S&M doesn't promote human dignity, it demeans it.''

Warby, who is scheduled to cross examine Mosley this afternoon, said that just because the sexual activity was behind closed doors that didn't guarantee it was a private act under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The News of the World story, which has been viewed by 3.5 million people through the tabloid's Web site, has ``devastated'' Mosley and his family, James Price, Mosley's lawyer, said arguing that court-ordered compensation should reflect that. Mosley said his wife of 48 years had no prior knowledge of the activity.

Federation Internationale de l'Automobile last month voted 103-55 to allow Mosley continuing to oversee the organization after the sex scandal was made public. Mosley's term ends in October 2009. He has led the FIA since 1993, working with Formula One Chief Executive Officer Bernie Ecclestone to make Formula One a $1 billion business. The FIA also oversees other forms of motor sport.

To contact the reporter on this story: Caroline Byrne in London at cbyrne12@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 7, 2008 10:41 EDT