Todt on pole for Mosley’s job

Jean Todt

(GMM) Jean Todt is very much in pole position to become boss of the FIA if Max Mosley is voted out of office early in June.

It is believed that, while Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz is a close friend of Mosley's, the reason Williams did not back the proposed call for the current FIA president's resignation in Spain was entirely different.

The broadcaster BBC, and the Times newspaper at the weekend both reported that Todt, the former Ferrari team boss and chief executive, is "a lock" to take over from Mosley, who is battling to keep his unpaid position in the wake of the sex scandal.

It is suggested that Ferrari also resisted Bernie Ecclestone's attempt to force Mosley's hand at Barcelona by getting all the teams to sign a statement of condemnation.

The Italian team is likely staying in step with FIA candidate Todt, who recently became one of the only significant F1 figures to fully back Mosley.

But paddock insiders suggest that the reason for Williams' reluctance to call for Mosley's resignation is because team co-owners Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head, despite not being traditional Mosley allies, fear the emergence of favorite Todt as his successor.

The Times also floated the theory that, rather than rounding on his old friend, Ecclestone was actually doing Mosley a favor on Saturday morning by "flushing out both the opposition and support" for the FIA president.

Mosley and Todt, 62, will attend the Monaco grand prix late next month.