Todt gives Mosley his full support

With Mosley due to face a vote of confidence on June 3 about his position in the wake of sexual allegations made in the News of the World newspaper, Todt has spoken out in backing his long-time friend.

In an interview with French newspaper Le Journal de Dimanche, Todt said he had no doubts Mosley was still the right man to head the FIA.

"He is a true president," said Todt. "He knows his business very well because he is a hard-worker, thorough and reliable. He is very intelligent, and with a rare elegance.

"He knows how to impose leadership when he has to, with an international authority. He has worked very hard for safety.

"When you see what motor racing was like 30 years ago, especially at the tracks, what he has accomplished is remarkable. The number of lives saved under his guidance is absolutely phenomenal. He has taken some courageous decisions, sometimes against everyone, like the HANS device.

"Everyone was against that, but he was right. His work for road safety has brought a lot of progress. I'm therefore amazed to see that people are lingering on things which bear no relation to his position."

Todt has said that the controversy caused by the News of the World story had not changed his dealings with Mosley, who has not attended any official functions since the story broke.

"I have very good relationship with him," said Todt. "I regularly have conversations with him on the telephone, and I do not see why that would not be the case any more."

When asked whether he was in favour of Mosley continuing as president of the FIA, Todt said: "That is not the question. If you ask me if I'm happy with the actions of the president of the FIA since he's been in office, I think he does a very good job.

"Therefore I hope he will have the opportunity to carry on his work for several more years. But that said, we have to respect the rules of the FIA when they meet on June 3."