| Jean Todt | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 25 February 1946 Pierrefort, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Founder of Peugeot Talbot Sport; Team Principal for Scuderia Ferrari, 1993-2007; CEO of Ferrari, 2008-2009, FIA president from 2009 |
| Known for | Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari through the Schumacher years; winner of multiple World Rally, Rally Raid and Sportscar races as team principal at Peugeot |
| Partner | Michelle Yeoh |
Jean Todt (born February 25, 1946) is a former executive director of Scuderia Ferrari, the Ferrari company's Formula One constructor. On October 25, 2006, he was appointed as the company's CEO.[1] On March 18, 2008, Todt resigned as CEO and assumed a "special appointment" within the company's racing department.[2] He resigned this position one year later.
On 23 October, 2009, he was elected as president of the FIA, motor sport's world governing body. Todt, who succeeds Max Mosley, stood against Finland's former world rally champion Ari Vatanen for the position.[3]
Contents |
Life and career
Todt was born in the commune of Pierrefort in the Cantal department of France. His father was Polish Jew who escaped to France during World War II. His mother was French. Todt's motorsport career began when he borrowed his father's Mini Cooper S for a friend to drive in a rally. Todt soon became a rally driver himself.[4] He moved to various driving roles in rally series, but decided his strength was as a co-driver; he continued as such with the Peugeot Talbot Sport rally team until his retirement from competition in 1981.
Peugeot Talbot Sport
The team moved Todt into a management-oriented position, charging him to organize the design and construction of the 205 Turbo 16 for the 1984 World Rally Championship season. After a slow start, the 205 won the world title in 1985 and 1986; other Todt-managed models continued to dominate, winning rally championships, hill climbs, and with the highly successful Peugeot 905, the Le Mans 24 hours and the World Sportscar Championship, into the 1990s. Peugeot, despite Todt's continual urging, refused to enter the Formula One Championship, and when a position opened at the Ferrari F1 team, Todt took the opportunity in 1993.[5]
Scuderia Ferrari
Todt was the first senior appointment of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo who had been placed in charge of a once legendary team which "had become something of a joke."[6] The Todt/Montezemolo leadership hired Michael Schumacher in 1996, with whom came strategist Ross Brawn, and designer Rory Byrne. The Independent credited Todt with melding this combination "into a cohesive structure devoid of the polemics which were so rife."[7] The fortunate combination produced a nearly-unbeatable team. Todt and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo have since been considered responsible for turning Ferrari from a has-been team, helpless without founder Enzo Ferrari, into the powerhouse it is today.
Following much speculation as to FIA President Max Mosley's impending retirement, rumors arose in 2004 to the effect that Todt would run for the office. Mosley commented that though Todt would make an excellent president, he was quite happy at Ferrari; however, it had long been assumed that when Michael Schumacher retired from F1, Todt would leave his job. In an apparent bid to maintain Todt's loyalty, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo promoted Todt to the head of the entire Ferrari operation, including street car production.
He remained as the Team Principal of the Scuderia F1 Team for one more season, and was replaced by Stefano Domenicali on 1 January 2008, however he still remained as CEO of Ferrari.[8] On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Todt had resigned, leaving Ferrari completely.[9]
The French government has made Todt a Chevalier of its Legion d'Honneur. He was further honoured with the Grand Officier rank of the honour in January 2007.[10] Also, in July 2006, Todt was given the official Malaysian royal title of 'Datuk' by Sultan of Terengganu, which is the Malaysian equivalent of a British knighthood [11]- he is now widely addressed in Malaysian media as Datuk Seri Jean Todt.[12]
FIA Presidency
As of October 23, 2009, Jean Todt was elected president of the FIA, with 135 votes against 49 votes for ex-driver Ari Vatanen.[13]
Personal life
On September 28, 2005, Todt's engagement to actress Michelle Yeoh was reported.[14] Yeoh has subsequently denied the engagement. As recently as March 2007, Yeoh denied assertions as to an upcoming marriage. On July 31, 2008, Ms. Yeoh confirmed the rumor that she was engaged (to Jean Todt) during an interview with Craig Ferguson on CBS's The Late Late Show.
Todt joined the Malaysia My Second Home Programme(MM2H) in April 2009. On 13 May 2009, Jean Todt was named as the Tourism Malaysia's Ambassador.[15]
Todt has a small role in the film Astérix at the Olympic Games.
Todt's son Nicolas is a manager of Formula One drivers including Ferrari incumbent Felipe Massa.[16]
References
- ^ "Ferrari confirms big changes". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1. 2006-10-26. http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns17695.html. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ "Todt resigns as Ferrari CEO, replaced by Felisa". Reuters India (Reuters). 2008-03-18. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-32562820080318. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ "Motor racing-Todt elected FIA president". Reuters. 2009-10-23. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLN24733320091023. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
- ^ "F1 - Grandprix.com > Features > News Feature > Who is... Jean Todt?". Grandprix.com. 2002-04-20. http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ftjs043.html. Retrieved 2009-10-31.
- ^ Zapelloni, Umberto. Formula Ferrari. Hodder & Stoughton. p. 18. ISBN 0-340-83471-4.
- ^ Baker, Andrew (2006-10-20). "Switch the key to Ferrari revival". Telegraph.co.uk (Telegraph Group). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/andrewbaker/2348442/Switch-the-key-to-Ferrari-revival.html. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ^ Tremayne, David (2006-09-11). "Flawed genius Schumacher calls time on brilliant career". The Independent (Independent News and Media). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/flawed-genius-schumacher-calls-time-on-brilliant-career-415535.html. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ^ "Todt replaced as F1 boss". BBC Sport Online (BBC). 2007-11-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7090726.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
- ^ "Todt leaves Ferrari entirely". autosport.com. 2009-03-17. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73753. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ "Another gong for Todt". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1. 2007-01-04. http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns17917.html. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
- ^ "Jean Todt of Ferrari honoured". Associated Press. IBNLive. 2006-07-21. http://www.ibnlive.com/f1/jean-todt-of-ferrari-honoured/16288-5.html. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
- ^ "Todt mum on wedding day". The Star. Star Publications. 2007-04-06. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/6/nation/17368077&sec=nation. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
- ^ "Ex-chefe da Ferrari vence eleição da FIA". Estadão. Estadão. 2009-10-23. http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,ex-chefe-da-ferrari-jean-todt-e-eleito-presidente-da-fia,455306,0.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
- ^ "Michelle Yeoh in a new relationship". China Daily. Communist Party of China. 2004-08-19. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-08/19/content_366889.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ "= Jean Todt Is Tourism Malaysia's Ambassador". 13 May 2009. http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=410665. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ Mole, The (2007-10-17). "Weird stuff". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1. http://www.grandprix.com/mole/mole19776.html. Retrieved 2008-01-05. "He's not. But he [Massa] is managed by Nicolas Todt, the son of Jean. This means that a percentage of any money that Felipe Massa earns will end up in Todt Jr's pocket."
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Max Mosley |
President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile 2009–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
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