Jean Todt returning to Ferrari?

La Team Will Ferrari bring back to its ranks the last man to have made it triumph in the world championship? This is what suggests le Corriere della Sera in its edition of Wednesday December 8, 2021.

The transalpine daily uses the strict conditional but suggests that the former team principal and CEO of Maranello (Italy) has been discussing this for months with John Elkann, the big boss of Ferrari.

Always according to Courier, Todt would take on a special advisor role, similar to that played by the three-time world champion F1 Niki Lauda at Mercedes until his death in May 2019.

The French leader is currently completing a third and final term at the head of the FIA, where he was first elected in 3, a few months after his departure from Ferrari. On December 2009, Todt will hand over to either Graham Stoker or Mohammed bin Sulayem, the two declared candidates for his succession.

Before this triple federal mandate, Todt had a brilliant career as team boss, notably marked by a very successful stint at Maranello. Hired in 1993 from Peugeot Sport, where he won titles in WRC, the famous Paris-Dakar, and the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Frenchman would contribute to the spectacular recovery of a Scuderia mired in sporting mediocrity and political intrigues.

After a complicated start, the Todt method began to pay off in the second half of the 1990s with the recruitment of Michael Schumacher, but also Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne in the technical department. If the 1997, 1998, and 1999 campaigns ended with painful defeats during the last round of the season, Ferrari already managed to win its first Constructors' title in 16 years at the end of 1999.

Transformed into a relentless war machine, Ferrari is preparing to sweep over F1 like a steamroller in the early 2000s with 5 Driver-Constructor doubles up for grabs. Despite a sudden drop in performance in 2005, the Scuderia bounced back in 2006, and especially 2007 when it won a new double with its recruit Kimi Räikkönen.

At that time, Todt handed over to his designated successor Stefano Domenicali, whom he still accompanied in 2008, the date of the last title won by the Maranello house, that of the Manufacturers against McLaren. The former co-pilot of rally finally left Ferrari in 2009 and succeeded Max Mosley at the top of the FIA.

Asked by AUTOhebdo on the revelations of Corriere della Serra, Ferrari says “ have nothing to add at this stage as we do not comment on speculation ". AUTOhebdo has also learned that the president of the FIA ​​had no shortage of offers on the evening of his last mandate.

In addition to the natural link that exists between Todt and Ferrari, let's not forget that John Elkann also heads the Stellantis group of which Peugeot, another former employer of the Frenchman, is a part.

What seems certain in any case is that at 76 years old, Jean Todt is not ready to enjoy a peaceful retirement. We expected no less from this workaholic who boasts one of the finest records in motorsport.