FIA: Todt-Vatanen, final duel

Jean Todt, Ari Vatanen: two men for a prestigious and essential function: the presidency of the FIA. One of the two will, at the end of the vote, be the big boss of motorsport. After sixteen years of reign of Max Mosley, including a final year full of power struggles against FOTA, the association of racing teams, Formula 1, the presidency will change hands.

Ari Vatanen, the first candidate to declare himself, benefits from solid political experience, having served in the European Parliament. World Rally Champion (1981), four-time winner of the Paris-Dakar, the Finn has a great reputation in the world of motorsport. He positions himself as a candidate for change, advocating an unequivocal break with the current president, Max Mosley. Vatanen proposes democracy and transparency in order to move away from a system that he considers to be from another age, to achieve a “justice system above all suspicion”.

The Finn is banking on more listening, dialogue and better collaboration with other motorsport authorities. Vatanen also advocates the stability of motorsport regulations, in order to avoid creating tensions, thinking in particular of the recent conflicts around the rules of F1. Regarding this discipline, the Finn suggests changing revenue sharing and making the championship more attractive.

Jean Todt, former director of the Team Ferrari is the candidate for continuity. The Frenchman has had a linear and smooth career leading up to positions of great responsibility. Co-pilot of Rally, the native of Pierrefort became director of Peugeot Talbot Sport in 1982, taking over the reins of Scuderia Ferrari, then in decline, in 1993. Respected for his long presence at the head of the Italian team, Todt is a man of influence, who knows how to surround himself. Dubbed by Max Mosley, supported by Michael Schumacher, he wants to renovate the FIA ​​without upheaval.

The Frenchman wants to focus his presidency on reducing costs in F1, Max Mosley's hobby horse in recent months. Like his opponent, Todt wants to make the governance system “transparent, democratic and fair”. The former boss of the Scuderia proposes the establishment of a Disciplinary Committee which will replace the FIA ​​World Council for investigations, hearings and sanctions at the motorsport level. The Frenchman also wants to appoint a commissioner in charge of sports management for each FIA world championship.

Find the detailed program of the two candidates in AUTOhebdo n°1723, on sale since Wednesday.