FIA president Max Mosley wants Todt as his successor

STUTTGART - The president of motorsport’s governing body FIA Max Mosley has said that he believes former Ferrari principal Jean Todt should become his successor.

The Briton questions whether the second candidate Ari Vatanen has the capabilities necessary for the job.

“How competent can he really fulfil the obligations of the job? He has no experience leading a big organization like FIA,” Mosley said in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

Former rally world champion Vatanen, who is now a sitting European parliamentarian, would have to learn something about the way things are done in FIA, Mosley said.

“Once he has shown that he can handle things there, he could become president in four to eight years.”

Mosley believed that Todt could lead FIA. “Jean Todt is not a man who is led by others. When he was at Ferrari he already went his own way and did not allow Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo dictate matters.”

The 69-year-old denied that he wanted to continue pulling the strings behind the scenes after stepping down. The new FIA president will be elected on October 23 in Paris.

Mosley sees no danger that the Frenchman Todt could be lacking in neutrality if he is elected. “Because he has historical ties with Ferrari he will make sure that he does not at all appear partisan.”

Mosley said he had nothing against the Finn Vatanen. “The only point of difference is about environmental issues, he does not believe in global warming.”

Mosley again defended the cost reduction for Formula One, which FIA earlier this year agreed on with the constructors’ association FOTA.

If this is not implemented by the teams FIA would have to ensure that it is, he said.

“At the latest my successor would enforce the budget limit by 2011.” At the end of that year the budget limit is to be around 60 and 70 million euros without drivers’ salaries and marketing costs.

Mosley said that he believes that Grand Prix racing would remain a point of conflict. “In this atmosphere - dominated by huge amounts of money and egocentric people - FIA has to remain neutral and keep the balance of power. This is a thankless task of herculean proportions.”