Jean Todt Reveals Red Bull Offered Him Role After Ferrari Exit and Why He Turned It Down

Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt has revealed that he was approached by Red Bull after his departure from the Maranello outfit in 2008, and explained why he chose to turn down the opportunity.

Todt served as Ferrari team principal from 1993 to 2007, during which time the team secured seven constructors’ titles and six drivers’ titles. Stefano Domenicali succeeded him in the role in 2008. In addition to his time as team chief, Todt was appointed general manager of Ferrari S.p.A. In 2004 and became CEO two years later. He resigned as CEO in March 2008 but remained on the board of Ferrari until March 2009.

Following his stint at Scuderia, Todt was approached by Red Bull GmbH founder Dietrich Mateschitz. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Todt explained that Mateschitz wanted him to join Red Bull to run both the team and the company’s motorsport activities. “I decided in 2008 that it was time to give something back,” Todt said. “My interest is to give something back.”

Todt recalled that Mateschitz came to have lunch with him at his home in Paris twice to discuss the opportunity. “He wanted me to join, so he came to have lunch at home in Paris with me twice,” Todt said. “To run the team and to run the motorsport activities of Red Bull.”

And I said no because for me, this chapter was over. I was running an iconic brand with success. So in a way, I could not do better, and I wanted to do other things. And it was time for me to give something back. It was a part of my life, and it’s still the part of my life where I want to give something back.

Jean Todt

Todt’s tenure at Ferrari is regarded as one of the most successful periods in the team’s modern history. Under his leadership, Ferrari became a dominant force in Formula 1 throughout the 1990s and 2000s, winning multiple championships before Domenicali took over as team principal in 2008.

The revelation about the Red Bull approach comes after Todt’s long-standing involvement in motorsport governance, including his role as president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), a position he has held since 2009. His decision to decline the Red Bull offer allowed him to pursue other avenues in the sport, particularly focused on safety, regulation, and global development initiatives.