
Why Todt's reign is eight years longer than planned
Jean Todt was only supposed to serve one term as FIA president, but in December will start his third. Two major international series have launched under his watch, but it's the transformation of the governing body's financial fortunes that he can be most proud of
Next week Jean Todt will be confirmed for a third successive term as FIA president after standing unopposed. Understandably, to many fans the news is about as scintillating as yet another Mercedes one-two in Formula 1, but Todt's final four-year term - FIA statutes place a limit on the number of terms of office - is significant.
When Max Mosley stepped aside at the end of 2009 after a showdown with the Formula One Teams Association, which threatened a breakaway series, the then-FIA president supported Todt in the hope that the Frenchman would "continue my good work". Todt, though, soon proved to be his own man.
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