Todt distances FIA from football scandals

Jean Todt, Bernie Ecclestone, Esteban Gutierrez and Maurizio Arrivabene
18 January 2016 by    2 min read

Jan.18 - Jean Todt has moved to distance F1's governing body from the sort of scandals that have gripped the world of football.

Fifa (world football) and Uefa (European football) presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were recently banned from the sport over accusations of criminal corruption.

So Todt, the FIA president, revealed that is why he has initiated an audit into the management of the world governing body of motor racing, even though he says he oversees a "very well structured and transparent" organisation.

"I am also proud of the people who work (for the FIA), but I feel that to achieve excellence you should always try to make things even better," he is quoted by the Spanish sports daily Marca.

"We are a transparent organisation, but I want to see if we can go even a step further in that respect. So I asked an auditor to take a look at our organisation, and if they notice something that can be improved, I will be very happy to hear their proposals," Todt added.

On another subject, the Frenchman warned that F1 should be "careful" amid its deliberations about enhancing safety by covering the cockpits with a cage or canopy.

"We must be very careful," Todt is quoted by Speed Week, "because we do not want to change the special nature of the different motor sport categories.

"On the other hand, we must do everything possible to improve safety," he added.

Todt said he was badly affected by the death of Jules Bianchi last year, but particularly the sad plight of his close friend Michael Schumacher.

"Coincidentally, I am seeing him (Schumacher) this very evening," Todt revealed last Friday.

As for the Bianchi and Schumacher cases, he explained: "I'm not going to compare them. Through my son (Nicolas), I felt the terrible loss of Jules, but with Michael the situation is different because he is like my family.

"When someone is a part of your family, it is very painful to see them hurt," Todt is quoted by the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.

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