Jean Todt was elected president of the FIA by 135 votes to 49. There were 12 abstentions and invalid votes.
The mood seems to be one of inevitability and also optimism that Todt will run the FIA with the same level of professionalism and teamwork that characterized his tenure at Ferrari.
It is no secret that Todt is unpopular with other team bosses, but FOTA sought to quell such thoughts with flattering statements made by Luca di Montezemolo and John Howett minutes after the result was announced.
Ari Vatanen's claim that he had the majority of club support suggests he was either mislead or that he was simply trying to convince us and the membership that he had more support than he actually had. As for suggestions of vote rigging, it all seems to have been above board.
Todt showed up at the Rue de Rivoli hotel where the election took place already looking like he'd won, flanked by Michelle Yeoh and Michael Schumacher. Todt had run a strong campaign and had every right to be confident.
Apparently he intends to keep a distance from day-to-day F1 business, hence his intention to install an F1 commissioner. I was almost certain this would be Max Mosley, in a Vladimir Putin-style sideways move, but apparently not. Joe Saward tells me the name at the top of the list is former Ford/Jaguar F1 honcho Richard Parry-Jones
The mood seems to be one of inevitability and also optimism that Todt will run the FIA with the same level of professionalism and teamwork that characterized his tenure at Ferrari.
It is no secret that Todt is unpopular with other team bosses, but FOTA sought to quell such thoughts with flattering statements made by Luca di Montezemolo and John Howett minutes after the result was announced.
Ari Vatanen's claim that he had the majority of club support suggests he was either mislead or that he was simply trying to convince us and the membership that he had more support than he actually had. As for suggestions of vote rigging, it all seems to have been above board.
Todt showed up at the Rue de Rivoli hotel where the election took place already looking like he'd won, flanked by Michelle Yeoh and Michael Schumacher. Todt had run a strong campaign and had every right to be confident.
Apparently he intends to keep a distance from day-to-day F1 business, hence his intention to install an F1 commissioner. I was almost certain this would be Max Mosley, in a Vladimir Putin-style sideways move, but apparently not. Joe Saward tells me the name at the top of the list is former Ford/Jaguar F1 honcho Richard Parry-Jones