The FIA Presidential Election thread

Todt hasn't said anything about what's he going to do to improve F1, he keeps saying he is committed to be part of the FIA to be stronger. In what? Communism?

Vatanen's philosophy to it it so much better. It's time for change. Reminds me of the 1970s (can't remember the year) Campaign of Gough Whitlam and as well as Obama's presidency campaign. Change? Yes we can.

Does that mean the President of the EU will sack Vatanen and their will be a re-election for the FIA presidency?
 
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77116

FIA rebukes Vatanen for Todt comments

By Jonathan Noble Wednesday, July 22nd 2009, 09:03 GMT

Ari Vatanen has been criticised by the FIA for his misleading comments suggesting that Jean Todt's presidential campaign was being funded by the governing body.

Vatanen was widely quoted in the media this week suggesting that the FIA was paying for a private jet for Todt to help him on his campaign to win the presidency role later this year.

Those claims have been strongly rebutted by the FIA Foundation, which has written to Vatanen to express its disappointment about his comments.

In the letter (the full text of which can be read here), Carlos Macaya, Chairman, FIA Foundation, said: "These assertions are totally false. For the last two years Jean Todt's partner, the internationally acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, has served in a voluntary capacity as the global Ambassador for the Make Roads Safe campaign which is co-ordinated by the FIA Foundation.

"In this role Michelle has travelled all over the world to support the campaign especially in advance of this year's first ever global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Moscow on November 19-20.

"A centrepiece of her involvement has been the production of a documentary film, Turning Point, which was broadcast worldwide in May on BBC World TV and also featured at the launch of the Commission for Global Road Safety's new report calling for a UN Decade of Action."

Macaya confirmed that Yeoh had been in Africa recently, and that Todt accompanied her on other business - which included a workshop for national sporting authorities paid for by the Motor Sport Safety Fund.

The letter added: "All these engagements are very helpful to the work of the Foundation and demonstrate the strong commitment of both Michelle and Jean to our work promoting road safety.

"These activities have nothing whatsoever to do with the FIA, or the recently announced election. It is very disappointing that you have chosen to misrepresent the work of a fellow Trustee in this way and belittle the magnificent contribution being made by Michelle Yeoh.

"I am also surprised that you do not seem to be aware of the truth of their involvement as their activities have been extensively reported to you at successive meetings of the Board of Trustees of the FIA Foundation of which you are a member.

"I appreciate that during the forthcoming election for the FIA Presidency there needs to be open and robust debate. However, I would ask that you do not again misrepresent the role of the FIA Foundation in this way."

So the FIA is criticising its countercandidate for saying what we all think is happening. They don't like being exposed...
 
Autosport said:
* Columns which appeared in the features area on autosport.com and in AUTOSPORT magazine last week claimed that a private jet, paid for by the FIA, had taken Jean Todt and Michelle Yeoh to Africa for their recent engagements there.

AUTOSPORT accepts that these claims were untrue and that Jean Todt and his partner Michelle Yeoh travelled to Africa by scheduled airline and not at the FIA's expense. AUTOSPORT would like to apologise for any confusion caused by these reports.

Sounds to me like a forced apology...
 
I think you're reading waaaaay too into this...
 
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77394

Prost interested in working with Todt

By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, July 28th 2009, 11:59 GMT

Four-time world champion Alain Prost is not ruling out working together with Jean Todt if the former Ferrari boss is chosen as FIA president.

Todt announced he will stand for the presidency of the FIA in October, with former world rally champion Ari Vatanen so far his only confirmed opponent.

Prost believes Todt is the right man for the post, and he admitted he would consider working with him if the opportunity arose.

"Jean Todt would be an excellent president, even though at the moment the F1 teams seem unhappy about his candidature," Prost was quoted as saying by Autosprint magazine.

"If there are the conditions to justify a role in the FIA for me, then it would be with F1 and sport in general. Working next to Todt, why not? This is a possibility we've talked about.

"We'll see in the upcoming months."


Surely not... surely not... :(
 
I really think Ari would be best for FIA president, He hasn't got any interests else where like Todt would, Yes he can claim he'll be completely independent but no one forgets the hand that feeds them! Ari is more of a independent and he's got experience in pathetic and poorly organized politics in his 10 years he spent in as an MEP ;)
 
Todt unveils FIA election manifesto

By Edd Straw Wednesday, August 5th 2009, 16:19 GMT

Jean TodtFIA presidential candidate Jean Todt has released his election manifesto, promising to implement a full review in the way the FIA is managed, and to introduce commissioners to oversee major FIA-coordinated world championships.

The former Ferrari sporting director, who is standing for election against former World Rally champion Ari Vatanen in October, has highlighted affordability and competition, innovation and excellence, and teamwork and co-operation as the major themes of his election campaign.

He added that he is keen to bring transparency to the organising body's governance, and wants to fully review the statutes by which it is currently run.

"Over the next four years, the FIA should seek to build on its strengths, but also be ready to adapt its management and decision-making structures to make them more cost-effective, responsive and transparent," Todt's manifesto reads.

"We propose a thorough review of the FIA statutes to adapt and modernise where necessary the Federation's structure and rules."

Todt proposals to appoint a commissioner to oversee the day-to-day management and governance of each of its world championships would include Formula 1, whose responsibilities would extend to commercial matters.

"The commissioner will represent the FIA in all regulatory and commercial issues relating to the championship, reporting to the World Council and relevant sporting commissions," says the manifesto.

"A system of commissioners will reduce the need for the FIA president, or deputy, to become directly involved in any particular championship and give more time to the leadership to concentrate on the strategic management of the FIA as a whole embracing the twin pillars of both mobility and motor sport."

The Frenchman also proposes that the way stewards operate will be reviewed through the creation of a Stewards Review Group, and that a disciplinary panel will be created to take charge of all investigations and hearings, effectively in place of the World Motor Sport Council.

"[It will] examine improvements to the stewarding system of the FIA's major championships and also explore the development of stewards training courses to encourage their professional development," reads the manifesto.

"Traditionally the World Motor Sport Council has taken a direct role in investigating, and deciding on disciplinary matters referred to it under the International Sporting Code. Such cases can be both very time consuming, and controversial.

"Given that the World Council is the principle executive arm of the FIA's system of governance, we propose that a separate Disciplinary Panel be established which will carry out investigations, hold hearings and recommended possible penalties to the World Council.

"This will ensure that there is a greater separation between the disciplinary process and the World Council while retaining the latter's final authority over any possible sanction."

Todt said that he has been "greatly encouraged" by the support he has received and is confident that his manifesto reflects the desires of the FIA member clubs.

"We have established an important dialogue with the FIA membership and other stakeholders in the motorsport and mobility sectors," he said. "We are convinced that our team and our policies give the FIA the opportunity to refresh its structures, and rededicate itself to serving its members."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77563
 
Hmm...divide and conquer...I like the idea of this. Although about the part where the commissioner having his responsibilities extending to commercial matters....Bernie might have a thing or two to say about that.

We'll see, now we need some similar rough outlines from Vatanen, but based on this I think regardless of which man eventually gets the position, it'll be a much brighter future for the world of F1 and motorsport in general.
 
I must admit I do like Todt's ideas and plans, look forward to seeing what Vatanen has in mind.
 
Q & A with Ari Vatanen

By Jonathan Noble Monday, August 10th 2009, 14:37 GMT

Ari Vatanen's bid to become FIA president will move up a gear later this week when he announces the 'cabinet' of supporters who will work with him if he is successful in October's election.

The former world rally champion has begun canvassing support, having travelled to the German and Hungarian Grands Prix and having now begun visiting FIA members worldwide to talk about his plans for the future.

AUTOSPORT caught up with Vatanen to talk about recent events, how the early days of his campaign have gone and his reaction to comments he made about Jean Todt that provoked anger from the FIA foundation.

Q. You've visited two Formula 1 races since announcing your plans to stand as FIA president. How is your campaign going, and what is the feeling that you are getting from the people you've spoken to?

Ari VatanenAri Vatanen: Exactly as we are standing here - you are facing a headwind, and it is behind me. That is the overall feeling. Of course in the paddock you cannot gauge things exactly as there is a lot of misinformation going around, so therefore I limit myself to the task at hand - not try to figure out how many eggs I have got in the basket.

They will not hatch before October 23, and it is a secret hatching ? so why waste energy on something like that. I don't know what is going to happen then. Of course, people have aspirations and in all modesty, I feel that most of those aspirations for a new start are channelled through me and my team. That is all I can say. It not against Jean, it is not against anybody. That is just what I feel.

How much of that that will be translated into votes on D-day remains to be seen, but I have never been worried about that. In the end itself, every second of this is worthwhile.

Q. The election is fought out amongst member clubs, and F1 teams have no say in the outcome. What is your reasoning for coming to the F1 paddock?

AV: Well, it is because of the visible part of it. You need the visibility; you need to get your message coming across because the public opinion also plays a role. So you cannot overlook any of the domains of the electoral process. The paddock is a hot spot where you do meet representatives of clubs of regions of various parts of the world, instead of travelling to India and South America ? you can meet them all here. It makes total sense.

Q. How has the feedback from the teams been?

AV: I know the teams do not vote. And, as I have always been saying, and I was totally independent in the European parliament, I have consistently voted against manufacturers because when I have looked at any legislation I have always looked from the customers' point of view. So therefore I have always been in favour of liberalising and dismantling any monopolies.

But in F1, these teams are the customers of the sporting regulator, where they come to act with their money, not the regulators' money. So how can I say they are outsiders? If they go away because they say I have been badly treating them, who suffers? Me and my clubs. So let's get some basic principles into the equation.

If the equation as a whole gives the right result, then everybody is prospering. It is not rocket science, so that is why you need to take them into account, and their voice has to be heard. If you don't listen, then do you want them to go elsewhere?

Q. But the perception is that the F1 world championship belongs to the FIA, and the teams want to try and take it over and increase their powerbase...

AV: But that assessment does not have any truth in it...

Q. Are you confident that the voting members of the FIA are aware of that?

AV: Well, we need to explain that to them in clear terms. With paying actors, we provide the stage for them and if they are not happy with that part of the business plan, if you don't give them an attractive return on their investment work, and there is not enough visibility so they are always afraid of new change not done in consultation, and they have lots of daily troubles in running their businesses, then they will go elsewhere.

This is not charity work, they are not here wasting company work, and it is part of the business plan to make their respective companies prosper further. Their life does not revolve around F1. I would like to use this incredible potential that is in our family and turn it into a positive. This should be a sport like NASCAR where people are queuing to get into events, and on the last lap you don't know who is going to win. You don't know who is the murderer until the last page of an Agatha Christie novel.

Come on, what is wrong with this kind of prospect? Nothing. Plus money would then start pouring in. So if this has all stopped happening just because of personal clashes, power fights and what have you, then come on ? no wonder what people on the outside think of the FIA, and what the people on the inside think. I am not once again blaming Max. We simply can do things much better if we see this is in our common interest.

Q. A lot was made recently about comments you made regarding private planes used by Jean Todt. Has that situation been settled and resolved now?

AV: I learned my lesson. I never said one word negative about Jean, and not one word negative about Max. In my track record in public life over 30 years I never criticised people personally. But I may make a mistake, and if I do then please forgive me if I do something wrong.

In my years in the European parliament I could not say the truth about my colleagues, so I said nothing ? and I did not criticise them. Never. It is not my style. But it is also my role to also point out what kind of practices may go on. But I may have made a mistake, and people focused on one single comment and interpreted what I said about the FIA working as the FIA, and were our positions equal. That was all I said.
 
^ Let's see what happens. Many people are chastising Vatanen for having a very weak campaign, not having revealed his cabinet being one point exploited by many. What has gone on behind the scenes, though, we don't know. He might have already started a strong campaign under the media radar.
 
Vatanen announces cabinet members

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, August 13th 2009, 18:17 GMT

Ari VatanenAri Vatanen has announced the leading cabinet members who will support his bid to become FIA president.

The former world rally champion has revealed that Spaniard Fernando Falco y Fernandez de Cordova will be put forward as his candidate for president of the FIA Senate.

Bernard Tay from Singapore has been nominated as Deputy President for Mobility, while German Hermann Tomczyk has been proposed as deputy president for motorsport.

Speaking about the support from the three candidates, Vatanen said: "These cabinet members all have a long and proven track record in the FIA and in their respective countries.

"Together with them, we can bring about the necessary changes to make the FIA more transparent, more efficient and more effective and to increase the benefit for its members. Now, it is time for change and together we can achieve this."

Falco y Fernandez de Cordova has represented Spain in the FIA and the AIT (International Tourism Alliance), and is a member of the Spanish Higher Council for traffic and road safety (Ministry of the Interior).

Until 2002, he was Vice Chairman of the World Council for Tourism and Motoring of the FIA. In June 1998, he was appointed Chairman of the AIT based in Geneva, a position he held until 2001.

Tay was elected president of FIA Region II, for Asia and the Pacific in April 2009, and has championed road safety programmes through his club's various channels.

Tomczyk, who is a leading figure in Germany's motoring organisations ADAC and the German Motor Sport Federation (DMSB), has been a member of the F1 Commission and the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Vatanen is currently up against former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt in the FIA presidential election, which is due to take place on October 23.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77644
 
Todt vows to be neutral

14 August 2009

As FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen released details of his cabinet on Thursday evening, rival Jean Todt has promised to remain neutral should he be elected to take the position. The leader of the motorsport governing body will change in October for the first time since 1993 as Max Mosley steps down.

With Todt having represented Ferrari as team principal from 1993 to 2007, critics say that no former F1 team member should be elected as leader of the Paris-located FIA although the Frenchman stresses that parity would be present between all involved.

"Initially, some people suggested that I would be Ferrari's choice for the presidency, then the media was that told that Ferrari didn't want me and the Scuderia responded by saying that they were in fact neutral," said the 63-year-old from Pierrefort. "Of course, I completely agree with them. They should be neutral, as I will be to all the teams if I am elected as president - this is a question of commitment and professionalism."

Whereas Finland's Vatanen was the World Rally Champion in 1981 and has recently retired after spending ten years as a European Parliament member, Todt believes that his leadership experiences across the motorsport platform are more valuable for the job in hand. "The success I have enjoyed, with every team that I have ever worked with, has been founded upon professionalism and a total commitment to that team's goals," he continued.

"My approach to the FIA is no different; I would not contemplate running for election as president if I could not focus all my professionalism, energy and commitment upon achieving the goals which are in the best interests of the FIA - acting as the guardian of the FIA's independence is central to this."

Source

I find that hard to believe.
 
It's not that he doesn't WANT to be neutral, and I'm sure he doesn't mean to be partial to Ferrari, but I think subconsciously or even just unknowingly, he might just make a few moves here and there that might affect things. Like maybe a steward call on a matter, it might be something as small as Ferrari cutting too much of the chicane in Manaco, but a certain 'relationship' will be there.

Or he could try to compensate for it by extremely mean to Ferrari, and that's just wrong too.
 
Vatanen meets with FOTA in Spa

By Edd Straw Sunday, August 30th 2009, 08:28 GMT

FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen believes that the Formula 1 Team's Association (FOTA) can make a major contribution to the development of the sport, after meeting with the body at Spa yesterday.

The former World Rally Champion was given the opportunity to address the teams' body on his vision for the way that the sport will be governed in the future and hear what the competitors had to say. Rival candidate Jean Todt will have the same chance at next month's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Finn believes that the body can work with an FIA under his presidency - if he was to win the election on October 23rd - to fulfil the true potential of F1.

"There is so much untapped potential in the sport, but we can realise it if we work together," Vatanen told AUTOSPORT.

"The people in FOTA are the ones that know what the sport and the business is about. The fact is that the sport has not been run as they would like over the years and they have realised that they can work together and with the FIA in the common interest.

"They have lived in fear without knowing what the future holds, and that's no way to run a sport. I can't see why different members of the same family cannot work together without one side or another wanting to dominate the other."

Vatanen emphasised that only through cooperation between the stakeholders in F1 can the sport be guaranteed long-term stability.

The prospects for a FOTA-run breakaway were only ended before the European Grand Prix when the unified Concorde Agreement was signed, and Vatanen sees cooperation between the teams and the FIA as vital for the long-term stability of the sport, even beyond the end of the new Concorde in 2012.

"My message is that it doesn't take away anyone's independence to work together," said Vatanen. "It's in everyone's interest that the competitors prosper and remain in the FIA championship.

"Our role is to give them a platform to perform. It's in the interest of everyone to make sure that this platform is as solid as possible and that there are as many competitors as possible."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78160


He better impress...
 
Vatanen on potential collision course with Ecclestone?

James Allen

The battle to be elected FIA president is hotting up and former rally champion Ari Vatanen has seen his campaign gathering traction lately. But some of his answers indicate that, if elected, he could be on a collision course with Bernie Ecclestone and CVC, not least his views on the 100 year agreement between the FIA and FOM and on the circuits that Grands Prix visit.

Vatanen was in London yesterday to meet with some of the British media and I was invited along.

Vision, transparency...get it?

Vision, transparency...get it?

The meeting place was the London Eye and Vatanen conducted his press briefings in one of the pods, going round and round. It gave him the metaphor of far reaching vision, totally transparency which he is claiming his presidency would bring to the FIA.

Being in a pod had the effect of restricting each briefing to 30 minutes as that is how long the pod takes to rotate. The problem with that is that he tends to give very long answers so it?s hard to cover much ground.

But I did manage to get some interesting stuff out of him, as did some of the others.

Vatanen is confident that he can beat former Ferrari boss Jean Todt in the election on October 23rd. Although Todt?s team has published reams of votes of support from car clubs all over the world, Vatanen claims to have greater support on the mobility side (ie the non-racing side) and has recently gained some strong supporters in the Middle East and in Japan.

After a rather confusing start and a lot of time spent in the Formula 1 paddock, where he met with the F1 teams last Saturday, Vatanen has been making progress.

The most recent win was the decision of the King of Jordan and Prince Faisal to back him, which apparently could change the dynamic in the Middle East. Todt?s team seem quite calm at this stage and confident that their man will prevail.

Vatanen has spent 10 years as a member of the European parliament and done extensive work on mobility ? getting people about. This is his primary focus, although the high profile bit of the job is Formula 1. This is also where the money comes from and I asked him whether he would want to review the 100 year deal agreed between the FIA and Ecclestone, whereby FOM gets the commercial rights to F1 for 100 years in exchange for $350 million, less than half what the rights recoup for FOM and its partner CVC in one year.

Vatanen said, ?It speaks volumes. Let?s look at two figures; the $100 million fine (for McLaren in 2007) and then the global rights are $350 million. Both figures are totally disproportionate. It speaks about how the situation in the FIA is not normal at all. I don?t know if it could be done (to review the deal). Those figures are way out and they couldn?t happen in a normal structure, like we are proposing.?

Vatanen also spoke to colleagues about pushing to keep the Formula 1 races in the traditional venues, like the UK, France and Germany, which are struggling to pay the circuit fees, rather than go to new venues which can pay higher fees, but not fill the grandstands,
?I am in favour of course of some new races ? the Singapore night race or anything like that ? because we need to renew ourselves.

?But if we go to the places where the tribunes are empty and at the same time traditional fans of F1 don?t have a race, there?s something wrong.

?The fact that Silverstone may not have a race, Hockenheim may not have a race next year, France may not have a race?it means we are alienating the traditional customers and fans and it is not so easy to win them back,? said Vatanen.

This view will clash with Ecclestone and CVC who project 10% growth every year in circuit fees in their business plan.

Vatanen doens?t answer questions like a politician. He seems to launch into speaking and then reverse his way out of a point if he feels he might be saying something wrong. But there is no doubting his passion and his desire to reform an old institution to serve and mobilise a far wider community in the 21st century.
 
I like this man, but let's see what Jean has to say too
 
Vatanen experience an issue claims Mosley

In a recent lunch meeting, Max Mosley told Ari Vatanen to his face that he would not support the Finn's candidacy to succeed him as FIA president at the forthcoming election.

After 16 years as head of motor sport's Paris-based governing body, 69-year-old Mosley is stepping down and has named the former Ferrari chief Jean Todt as his preferred replacement.

The Briton said Vatanen, a former European parliamentarian and world rally champion, asked him during a lunch meeting if Mosley will publicly support his desire to be FIA president.


According to Autocar, Mosley revealed: "I said 'You have no experience, you have never run anything, you've not been in charge of even the smallest organisation, you have no concept of what it is like. You didn't even run your own rally car, you had a co-driver to do that.'"

source

Surely a simple 'no' would've sufficed?
 
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