Jean Todt is set to be re-elected as president of the FIA after it was confirmed that he will face no competition in next month’s elections.
The 71-year-old French incumbent is seeking what will be his third, and final, term as president. The FIA statutes limit officials to three terms in office. It was announced last night by the FIA that Todt’s was the only application to be received by the official deadline, with the vote set to be held at the annual general assembly in Paris on December 8.
Earlier in the year Todt announced that he would stand for a third term as president after Formula 1, both the FIA’s showpiece series and primary source of income, was taken over by Liberty Media in January.
This will see Todt playing a key role in overseeing what could potentially be a very turbulent period for F1 with commercial contracts with teams expiring in 2020 and debate ongoing over a new engine formula for the 2021 season onwards.
Todt was re-elected for a second four-year term as president of the FIA in December 2013 after securing unanimous approval to continue in his role after his main rival, Britain’s David Ward, pulled out of the race citing a lack of support.
Todt secured his first term in office in October 2009, defeating 1981 World Rally Champion Ari Vatanen in an election to succeed Max Mosley. Before assuming the FIA presidency, Todt was at the helm of Ferrari from 1993 to 2009 which was highlighted by Michael Schumacher’s five consecutive F1 world titles between 2000 and 2004. Before that, he was in charge of Peugeot’s motorsport operation from 1983 to 1993 – a period during which Peugeot dominated the WRC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
