FIA president Jean Todt refuses to be a dictator – Formula 1 news
FIA president Jean Todt has refused to play the role of a dictator as he thinks that will diminish what Formula 1 stands for.
The statement was given when the previous FIA president, Max Mosley, advised Todt about being more confrontational if he wants to steer the Formula 1 sport in the right direction. The current president, on the other hand, thinks that such a confrontation
is needless.
“For me, the FIA must have a bigger impact, not erosion,” he told the Financial Times. “I'm not a dictator trying to control. The contribution and the role of the FIA has to be protected, to be respected.”
It has also been reported that Todt has been willing to reduce the FIA’s hold on the Formula 1 teams if he gets more money in return. The rumours are that he is hoping for the money in the form of increased entry fees from the F1 teams. Todt explained that
the FIA is an entirely non-profit organization but they still need to run it somehow and for that they need revenues.
He said that the federation cannot be run without any revenue. Todt has also been under speculation for the introduction of the new engine formula in the 2014 cars. The new engines are being downgraded to 1.6 litre turbo charged ones but is supposed to be
environmental friendly. Todt explained that it is the organisation’s responsibility to stabilise the sport both financially and environmentally.
Despite the fact that he denies the money rumours, he says that he is disappointed in the measures taken by the teams to cut the cost. He expects ‘more drastic proposals’.
Mosley has accused Todt about looking for consensus which he thinks is necessary but he should be able to get the teams to do what is needed.
“It makes me smile when I read that we are going to lose control. I will never allow things which are under our responsibility to be dealt with by anybody else,” he explained. “Sometimes it's a downside of F1. People live in their little environment, in
their little kingdom, and they don't see what is happening.”
He advised that the world is changing now and they should be able to represent the Formula 1 sport in this new world.
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