Ferrari F1 has denied the possibility that Jean Todt, who led the team to success about 20 years ago, will return.
Jean Todt joined Ferrari in 1993 and played an important role in Michael Schumacher’s contract. Schumacher joined Ferrari F1 in 1996, led by Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, with unprecedented success in winning the title for the fifth consecutive year from 2000 to 2004.
Michael Schumacher’s 2004 championship title is his seventh in total, and Ferrari has enjoyed the benefits of hiring a record driver.
Michael Schumacher was deprived of the throne by Fernando Alonso in 2006 and left the team with Jean Todt two years later.
A year later, Jean Todt was elected chairman of the FIA, the governing body of motorsports, and stopped his role until the FIA chairman last December. Rumors of a return to Ferrari F1 surfaced almost immediately after his retirement.
But that doesn’t seem to happen.
“Ferrari President John Elkann is reportedly opposed to rehiring former FIA President Jean Todt,” Mark Hughes wrote on Motorsportmagazine.com.
Jean Todt was supposed to play the role of a “super consultant” that would form the bridge between Ferrari’s business unit and the F1 division. Initially, it was endorsed by both John Elkann and team principal Mattia Binotto.
“But after discussions at the corporate level, Elkann reportedly changed his mind, and 75-year-old Todd could spend time on other projects he was interested in.”
Jean Todt’s signature would be controversial given his recent withdrawal from the FIA chairmanship, a top motorsport job.
Last month, Ferrari F1 team representative Mattia Binotto was asked about Jean Todt’s rumors, but did not give a clear answer.
“What I can say is that so far it’s just speculation,” Mattia Binotto said last December.
“Personally I was working with Jean Todt. He was my boss and I think I learned a lot from him.”
“I’m honored to work with him. As Mattia and as a team, I believe there’s still a lot to learn, so it’s me to work with him no matter what in the future. I think it’s an honor for me. “
Ferrari has not yet officially denied the rumors.
Category: Category: F1 / Ferrari
