Max Mosley, the disgraced president of the FIA, has been sidelined from official duties for the Monaco Grand Prix to ensure that there will no embarrassing public encounter with Prince Albert II.

The decision to appoint Marco Piccinini, a deputy president of the FIA, as the official representative of the organisation during Formula One's showpiece event on Sunday week, underlines the awkward reality of Mosley's position and that it is now almost impossible for him to carry out his public duties.

Through his spokesman, Richard Woods, Mosley has been making it clear in recent days that he will return to the Formula One paddock in Monte Carlo for the first time since revelations in late March about alleged Nazi-inspired sado-masochistic bondage sessions with prostitutes.

However, it appears that the FIA, together with the Monégasque authorities, have decided to find a way round the tricky protocol issue of Mosley being seen with Prince Albert. A spokesman at the Royal Palace in the principality told The Times that the Automobile Club of Monaco informed the palace early yesterday that the FIA would be represented by Piccinini, an Italian who is also a member of the organisation's Senate.

The spokesman said there was “no question” of the Prince meeting Mosley, who has resisted widespread calls to resign and has instead chosen to have his future decided in a vote of confidence at an extraordinary general meeting of the FIA in Paris on June 3. “We have just been informed that Mr Marco Piccinini will represent the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix,” the spokesman said. “The Prince will only meet the official representative of the FIA, but maybe Mr Mosley will come as a private person to the grand prix.”

The palace said the Prince will not meet Mosley on the grid before the race and nor would he meet him at the gala dinner after it. “We were waiting for the official decision - we have just been informed this morning, so we did not take any decision before,” the official added in a remark that implies the palace was waiting for a workable compromise to be presented by the FIA.

Last night an FIA source confirmed that Mosley would not meet the Prince or attend the gala dinner or podium at the end of the race. He said Piccinini would be “involved in any official functions” while Mosley - who will be in Monaco throughout the race weekend - would be “conducting his business in other aspects of his role”.

The appointment of Piccinini follows previous setbacks for Mosley. He was informed by the royal family in Bahrain that he was unwelcome to attend their grand prix last month and he did not go to the Spanish Grand Prix three weeks ago for fear of embarrassing King Juan Carlos.