Todt Won't Abandon the FIA after One Mandate

A few days after being elected new president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Jean Todt told the media that he doesn't plan to have a long-time stay at the helm of the aforementioned body, comparable to his predecessor Max Mosley. More, he even hinted that he might leave this position after only one mandate, in which he'll try to set a new direction for the future.

However, in a recent interview with Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the 64-year old Frenchman insisted that he never said he's going to leave after one mandate, playing down the recent reports on this topic.

“That's not true,” said Todt, while admitting that his run for a second mandate is certainly not on his mind for the time being. “Nevertheless, I am not thinking today about the second term of office. My priority is to use my time as effectively as possible to reach my goals.”

Speaking about goals, Todt expressed his disappointment about the Formula One teams not agreeing to use the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in 2010, insisting that the unit will definitely make the rulebook next year.

“I am not happy the teams voted unanimously against using KERS for the 2010 season. I am personally committed to having this position reconsidered for 2011,” added Todt.

“We cannot afford to go two and a half years while doing nothing. As head of the FIA there needs to be pressure in this direction; it's the only way we can be credible,” concluded the Frenchman, sending insurances that F1 will not wait until the implementation of new engines (2013) to return KERS into the series.

The discussions about KERS are still ongoing, with teams having to choose between a solution with a sole supplier of the technology and the other with each outfit choosing its own way of purchasing the unit (similar to the engines supply).