The FIA goes to the polls
There were high hopes for Mosley following his election in 1991
After months of build-up the FIA presidential elections finally take place today.
But will the winner be Max Mosley’s choice Jean Todt, or the fans’ favourite Ari Vatanen?
Just as important a question is whether the elections will be free of outside interference. There have been allegations that some clubs have been coerced into siding with Todt.
Vatanen threatened to take court action to ensure the vote was carried out fairly but he withdrew the suit after the FIA made various concessions. One of which was the right for voters to cast their ballots in secret. That they have only made this concession at such a late stage indicates how open to abuse the system has been.
The last time the FIA presidency changed hands, in 1991, the arrival of Max Mosley was greeted warmly by many who hoped for and end to the controversies and scandal previous president Jean-Marie Balestre had often been at the heart of.
After 18 years of Mosley, we find ourselves wishing for the same thing again.
Who do you think will win? And will the elections be free and fair? Have your say below.
I’ve had an email from Eurosport saying they’ll broadcast an interview with the new FIA president at 10.30pm on Friday evening on British Eurosport/Eurosport HD.
F1 Presidential elections 2010
- Todt’s team accused of vote-buying
- The bitterly-fought FIA presidential election is too important to ignore
- Vatanen says “tide is turning” in his favour but fears voter intimidation
- Ari Vatanen: Exclusive interview on Mosley, budget caps and the F1 calendar
- Jean Todt vs Ari Vatanen (Poll)
- Ari Vatanen: The man who would challenge Max Mosley (Video)
Michael K said on 23rd October 2009, 8:53
I sadly think that hoping for Vatanen is romantic and idealistic, but the reality is that Todt is sitting on Max’s “loyal” (read: paid) supporters. They have pulled Max out of the most ridiculous shambles, so getting Todt elected should be easy.
I would be rejoicing if Vatanen wins, but I think it’s highly unrealistic as long as the most ludicrous “Motorsports Clubs” have the same power as real organisations.
Maciek said on 23rd October 2009, 9:18
I like the optimism of those who consider that Todt’s campaign message is an accurate reflection of his political style, but it’s not like Todt will say: I’ll be a partial, corrupt, insidious little Mosley-buddy. Of course he’s been projecting a cleaner than clean image and a constructive outlook. As has been pointed out here and elsewhere, he had others doing the mud-slinging for him. And I’m pretty sure that Mosley knows better than we do whether and to what extent Todt will be his puppet; and anyways this puppet thing has become a cliché, but the real question is just one of continuity – the same personal connections, the same arrogant willingness to do the wrong thing. The debate has nothing to do with either candidate’s actual ability to manage motorsport competently. Both can probably do that. But one has already aptly demonstrated that transparency, impartiality and “the sporting ethos” are not his cup of tea.
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steph90 said on 23rd October 2009, 10:06
I completely think Ari can win. There is not a doubt in my mind about that.
The election should be free (I hope it will be), if anything corrupt is found then whoever wins will have a hard time and this may well determine/dictate how they will fair. For instance, if Todt won but it was a dubious win with a sniff of corruption -I don’t think this will happen but it is what some fear- then this may cause fall out and damage the foundation of his power.
Michael K said on 23rd October 2009, 10:19
I’m sorry, but your comment made me laugh out loud! I don’t want to offend you, but you write “For instance, if Todt won but it was a dubious win with a sniff of corruption -I don’t think this will happen but it is what some fear- then this may cause fall out and damage the foundation of his power.” as if this is what you seriously think.
Maybe I didn’t get the irony, but Max has been exactly what you think people fear: corrupt. I think Max’s reign and way of dealing with FIA matters have been in a way where the word “corrupt” simply isn’t enough. Add to that despotism and arrogance and I think we might have the right mix.
I don’t think the vote itself will be rigged, but the way the people have been persuaded to vote for the Mosley-Todt camp will be at least highly questionable.
steph90 said on 23rd October 2009, 10:52
I’m not talking about Max at all, he’s gone so I don’t really want to look at him, he’s history so look to the future and the choices we have (if any complaint about Max it should only really be his endorsement of a candidate and the fact people are worried he could be f1 commisioner under Todt). The election is about future president not about still being bitter over all the wrongs Max has done, which is alot.
I like to think there would be no corruption in this election now but if there is then it will seriously damage whoever is in as the vote will not be true and therefore power basis will not be true. (I’m Brit so only example can give is Brown never allowed a vote and so never had that support or authority which is part of the reason why he has faced so much opposition).
PJA said on 23rd October 2009, 10:23
I would like Vatanen to win but think Todt will win.
I don’t think if did Vatanen win he would solve all of the FIA’s problems and there will be things he will be criticised for, but as the choice is between him and Todt it is an easy decision for me.
Even if Todt wasn’t Mosley’s man I think he would be the wrong choice because of his history with Ferrari, for me it would be the same as having Ron Dennis as the President, he may have the required skills but his history with McLaren rules him out.
Of course the President of the FIA isn’t just in charge of F1, there are lots of other motorsports under the FIA’s jurisdiction, it may just have appeared that way to some of us, because some people such as me may only really follow Formula 1, but also because of the way Mosley’s Presidency has been, he seems only interested in F1 as it is the most high profile and glamorous motorsport, I remember a poster on this site saying the first time Mosley went to a World Rally event was when he wasn’t welcome in F1 after the revelations about his sex life.
Although I don’t really follow many other motorsports, reading some of the articles and subsequent comments on this site it appears that it is not just F1 that has problems with the way the FIA deal with things, so it would appear the FIA needs some big changes as a whole.
While I support the idea of separate bodies within the FIA responsible for different areas of motorsport, I do fear Todt may use this to appoint Mosley as F1 Commissioner. If there was no likelihood of this happening then Todt should have denied all the rumours that Mosley would take the role.
I think that if Mosley hadn’t been forced to announce he would not stand for President again during the F1 breakaway threat this summer he would have stood and won again. Winning the vote of no confidence last year showed that he has support where it matters, the people with the votes, even if most fans would never vote for him. Because he has Mosley’s support I will be surprised if Todt does not win.
Sush Meerkat said on 23rd October 2009, 10:46
we need to set up FIA Despots Anonymous
“My names Max and I haven’t run Formula 1 into the ground for two days”
D Winn said on 23rd October 2009, 11:00
Todt won’t appoint Mosley as F1 Commissioner, he’ll appoint Alan Donnelly and get the same result, strings and all.
Alex said on 23rd October 2009, 11:06
Keith, what do you think: when Todt talks about an ‘F1 Commissioner’, what are the odds that he’s talking about Max?
Ronman said on 23rd October 2009, 13:19
i doubt it would be Max… i’m thinking someone deeply involved in the sport like him. Todt has always had a soft spot for Alain Prost…perhaps?
it would be funny if Ari was offered the role of WRC commissioner…he fits the bill frankly
ukk said on 23rd October 2009, 11:17
FIA should start a name control exclude list.
The first entries – all whose names start with:
* Jean
* Max
Hope Ari will not be added to the list
Chalky said on 23rd October 2009, 12:35
It went to Todt!
Just read it on BBC news.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8322393.stm
W-K said on 23rd October 2009, 12:35
Todt gets it according to BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8322393.stm
steph90 said on 23rd October 2009, 12:45
Thanks Chalky and W-K. It was a comfortable win apparantly. I for one am surprised and very disappointed.
Journeyer said on 23rd October 2009, 12:53
I’m not suprised, really. I’m surprised the gap was this big (was thinking it would be better), but make no mistake – Todt ran the better campaign.
His platform, to be fair to him, had more substance than Ari’s. He’s talked the talk, let’s see if he walks the walk.
Journeyer said on 23rd October 2009, 12:54
When I say better, I mean tighter. ;)
David A said on 23rd October 2009, 12:59
Me too, I thought Vatenen would get it, but Todt got almost triple the number of votes…
Woffin said on 23rd October 2009, 12:54
If this means that Mosely still has a significant input on the govering of Formula One then this is a very sad day indeed. Not just for the sport but for the overall image that the FIA is giving out. Reminds me of the whole Medvedev/Putin thing regarding Russia. Yes, Medvedev is the front man, but we all know that Putin is still pulling all the strings.
Leon said on 23rd October 2009, 12:55
Like most of the regulars contributing to this site, I have to say that I do not like the strutting arrogance of Mosley one little bit. He is, in my opinion, a classic example of that eternal, damning truth:-
‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute
power to corrupt absolutely’
For all that, I’m quite certain we need a new broom entirely untainted by any connection with the current FIA hierachy who at the same time has the visionary skills and first cclass organisational ability to carry though so much vital reform. And I do wonder if either candidate can measure up to that exacting requirement. It ought to be Vatonnen. Never Todt.
But I do wonder about what we might end up with.
You see, I’m old enough to remember the relief we all felt when Balestre was ejected. And that every year in the early nineties we EXPECTED several deaths in every single season. The cars, the tracks, the system which ran the whole sport was inherently unsafe, and we mourned the loss of some very great men.
Now, whenever I see a huge high-speed crash on the circuit ( for example, Kubica’s horrendous crash at Montreal in 2007) and so often see the driver simply walk away from a smoking heap of metal and carbonfibre,
I think about the driving intellect behind the extraordinary changes we have seen forced into reality, particularly in the last ten years.
And the driving force that we all now are heartily sick of. The autocratic dominance of one man’s self belief which we hate…all comes in the package that has changed F1 and all car design massively for the better.
We are all better off because of a powerful man who has committed the cardinal sin of staying in power too damn long.
He’s going now, reluctantly, painfully, acrimoniously.
But I really do wonder if we’ll be quite so pleased the old b****d has gone in three or four years.
Journeyer said on 23rd October 2009, 13:01
But some believe (and I tend to agree) that Max REACTED to Senna’s death. Had he acted earlier, it could’ve been averted. So it may be premature to credit the improvements in safety as Max’s idea from the start.
Hakka said on 23rd October 2009, 13:08
Maybe. But the point is that he has reacted well. I’m sure everyone and his dog was all for increased safety in F1. Mosley has made sure that the right people executed relentlessly until it was reality.
Surely it’s the execution that matters, not who came up with the “idea” from the start.
pSynrg said on 23rd October 2009, 13:47
So easy to say with hindsight that ‘this or that’ measure would have saved Senna’s and Roland’s lives.
Saying the FIA should be able to anticipate ANY potential cause of a fatality in such a dangerous activity is quite frankly ignorant beyond belief.
Did you know there have been no fatalities whatsoever in Swiss motorsport since 1955? It could be the same in F1, simply anticipate all potential danger by banning it entirely…
Nitpicker said on 23rd October 2009, 13:55
All that means is that Mosely should have been Chief of Motorsport Safety, not FIA President.
Grass is always greener though. We shall see.
McPhil said on 23rd October 2009, 12:57
Apparently the voting was 135 to Todt and 49 to Ari…
Not good at all.
Ronman said on 23rd October 2009, 13:17
I believe this is the definition of being decimated in elections…poor Ari, he never stood a chance.
Lets be honest though… whether you like Mosley or don’t or even Todt. the short stack Frenchy would have been the favorite to win and would win even if he was running against Obama himself
Nitpicker said on 23rd October 2009, 13:53
Huh?
Charlie said on 23rd October 2009, 14:10
Well that would be wrong, as decimated means “to remove one tenth”
Grammar lol!
W-K said on 23rd October 2009, 13:26
That’s the problem with democracy, a similar situation occurs in the UN.
If Nauru has a vote it is equal to the vote from the RAC or the ADAC etc.
mp4-19b said on 23rd October 2009, 17:11
Mc! Did you forget what Toad had to say bout SA? Wondering who did the SA representatives vote for. Surely not Toad!!