John Kenny's Motorsport Blog

A smile spread across his face when Jean Todt, President of the FIA, the world governing body of Motorsport, says that his relationship with Motorsport Ireland hasn’t been soured, despite the fact that the Irish governing body gave a very public backing to his main rival, Ari Vatanen, in the 2009 FIA Presidential elections.

‘It is not a problem,’ declared Todt. ‘I did not have an understanding of the (Motorsport Ireland) club at the time of the voting as I have now.’

It was a problem at the time for Motorsport Ireland.

Indeed John Naylor, the former Motorsport Ireland president, was very public in his support for Vatanen and was a regular guest on RTÉ Sport indicating what stance his governing body was taking for the FIA Presidential elections.

Todt was in Dublin recently meeting with representatives of the Royal Irish Automobile Club, Motorsport Ireland, the AA, FIA Sport and mobility member clubs who launched their Wear, Believe, Act motor safety campaign.

The Frenchman was the overwhelming winner of the 2009 vote to replace Max Mosley as President and indeed such was the closeness of Vatanen and Motorsport Ireland, that Naylor was on the verge of becoming one of the Finn’s vice presidents in the event of his election win.

Naylor was in Paris for the vote in 2009 and expressed huge confidence in their man winning, but was taken aback when the votes were counted which gave 135 votes to former Ferrari boss Todt and just 49 to Vatanen.

Todt, who was backed by former president Mosley, won the vote easily, which left Motorsport Ireland on the margins after their backing of Vatanen went awry with Naylor critical of the voting procedure and Todt himself in an interview, which was broadcast on RTÉ Radio just moments after the voting had closed.

However Todt, in Ireland for the first time since his election to launch the Motorsport Ireland new road safely initiative, which will promote road safely through Irish Motorsport events, has dismissed talk of any dispute with the Irish governing body.

‘I cannot try and build the future of the organisation based on who is or is not voting for me.

‘I have found great people here in Ireland. Very motivated and very enthusiastic and I hope to work more closely with them in the future.

‘I was not familiar with the members, but I have a better understanding of the whole organisation.’

One of Todt’s vice presidents, Mohamed ben Sulayem, the former Middle East rally champion, was also in Ireland recently and met with representatives of Motorsport Ireland, raising hopes that Ireland could attract some FIA events to the country after Rally Ireland opened the 2010 World Rally Championship.

At the moment however it seems unlikely that Rally Ireland will make a return to the FIA calendar in the near future.

‘Motorsport Ireland is involved in a lot of commissions in the FIA in Paris and Geneva and it’s true that some Irish events are not part of our championships anymore,’ said Todt.

‘But that is part of the history of motorsport and from what I can see there is plenty of enthusiasm for events to return, but that has to come from the governing body in Ireland.’

Irish motorsport has hit tough times in recent years.

Rally and circuit race entries are down to 2002 figures and Motorsport Ireland has lost over 800 licence holders in the past few seasons.

Motorsport Ireland now say that they are going to look at their calendar for the next four years in order to streamline events, but Todt doesn’t hold out much in the way of support to championships here from his organisation

Tody said: ‘It is not the responsibility of the FIA to finance any programme in Ireland.

‘What we can do, through some of our special funds, is back young drivers in terms of education and through the education of marshals as well.

‘But what you have to remember is that each governing body has the responsibility for their own championship programme with a strong input from the FIA.’

Todt is on a whistle-stop tour of countries having visited Sweden for the opening round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), meeting representatives from Norway before heading to Iceland and then Ireland.

The 64-year-old ex Ferrari boss added that he is happy with the way that Formula One is now being run and that the WRC is perhaps on the way back after losing major manufacturers in the past few years.

However, he remains critical of the step ladder that young drivers are facing in their efforts to make it to the top of world motorsport.

In the past the route to F1 would have involved a beginning in Karting, working through Formula Ford, Formula 3 and 3000 before the final step to the world’s top formula.

However, there is now a plethora of junior racing formulas which has fragmented circuit racing and that step ladder no longer exits and Todt would like to change that.

‘I have a strong view about that, but we cannot avoid any commercial organisation that wants to set up a racing series.

‘The FIA is ready to create a way for young drivers to start at the likes of Karting and work their way through to the pinnacle which is Formula One.

‘We also have the same responsibilities to other categories like rallying and I’m optimistic that we will see some good results.

‘We are ambitious but realistic. It may not happen immediately but let us say that over the next five years that that process will be in operation once again.’

Motorsport Ireland have some bridges to build with Todt. From their point of view the recent visit to Ireland will hopefully be a start.